Loneliness, pension and Co.
Survey shows: Above all, there is a lack of respect for age
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Our population is getting older – the birth groups from 1960 dominate our society. Exactly the right time to ask what pensioners in Germany think of politics, gender, pensions and the like. And where change needs to take place.
“Bild am Sonntag” commissioned the opinion research institute INSA to carry out a representative study in order to get a concrete picture of the lives of people over 65 years of age.
22.1 percent of Germans are older than 65 years
The demographic change in Germany can no longer be denied. The largest age cohort are those born in 1964 with a total of 1.4 million people, according to projections by the Federal Statistical Office. In 2021, a total of 18.4 million people were over 65 years old. The proportion of the total population is therefore 22.1 percent. As the total population decreases, the proportion of older people continues to rise.
So what does it look like, the image of pensioners of Germany? They like to watch public television, want to grow old in their own apartment, two out of three seniors do not believe in gender and think that Helmut Schmidt was the best chancellor. Not really surprising so far.
An important issue: lack of respect for old age
However, there is one issue that people over the age of 65 are particularly concerned about: respect for old age. 74 percent of respondents believe that society does not have enough respect for the elderly. 52 percent state that they believe that politicians are focusing on the wrong issues. Four out of ten pensioners say that you cannot grow old well in Germany. Loneliness also plays a crucial role. 23 percent state that they sometimes feel lonely, six percent often.
In an interview with “Bild am Sonntag”, which was published on the ministry’s website, Family Minister Lisa Paus also pointed out that in our “society too often there is a lack of respect for the elderly”. “Germany would be well advised to rethink its image of old age and treat seniors with more respect.” Too many older people have the impression that they are not wanted, that perhaps their life’s work is not recognised. After all, this generation did incredible things after the war, “they laid the foundation for today’s society and for our prosperity,” says Paus.
38 percent of pensioners state that they cannot lead a good life with their money
The financial situation could also contribute to the poor survey results. 21.3 million pensioners receive an average of 1,620.90 euros per month (in the east) or 1,598.40 euros (in the west). It looks much better for the former civil servants. 1.4 million retirees receive an average pension of 3,170 euros per month. This generation is particularly good at saving. According to the Bundesbank, 65- to 74-year-olds have an average of 313,200 euros per household on the high edge – but this also includes the value of any property that may be available.
However, the survey shows that many are not satisfied with their financial situation. 38 percent are of the opinion that their money is not enough for a good life – however this may be defined. In the age group of 65 to 74 year olds it is even 43 percent. It should be noted that these are only average values. 36 percent of pensioners have to make do with a household income of less than 2,000 euros. The gap between rich and poor is particularly visible in old age and widens.
Women in particular are increasingly suffering from low pensions
If you take a look at the statistics, the differences become clearer. Poverty in old age hits pensioners in particular hard. The proportion of women who receive a pension of less than 1,000 euros is 38.2 percent. The higher the pension, the lower the proportion of women. With a pension of 3,500 euros and more, only 1.4 percent are women and 5.8 percent are men. Almost 13 percent of seniors are still in work despite their pension – although not all pensioners who continue to work are affected by poverty in old age.
Overall, the picture of the survey is not particularly positive. Many pensioners do not feel well, they sometimes have too little money to be happy, feel misunderstood and not heard. The digitization driven by the pandemic in recent years is probably partly to blame for this. The country is becoming increasingly digital, but one of the largest cohorts is not even connected to the internet – 72 percent have no access. 37 percent of pensioners do not have a smartphone, and among those over 75 it is even 55 percent. Feeling left out in the face of these numbers is not surprising.
Sources used: destatis.de, focus.de, tagesspiegel.de, bmfsfj.de, bild.de