Abstract

AGUILAR-FUENTES, Sonia Isabel  and  CARDONA-ARANGO, Doris. Labor income, transfers and economic security for the elderly of Medellin, Colombia. Univ. Salud [online]. 2016, vol.18, n.1, pp.34-45. ISSN 0124-7107.

Objective: To explore the economic security of the elderly in Medellin, Colombia as well as their sources of income and economic transfers from a comprehensive perspective. Materials and methods: An exploratory qualitative study of primary source with selection by snowball through historical hermeneutic method was conducted. 15 seniors and 5 specialists in the field selected by snowball were interviewed and asked for aspects related to their economic conditions. The given information was analyzed, as a grounded theory, where categories from the texts emerge. Results: Elderly people feel insecure financially because they do not have fixed and sufficient income to live autonomously and independently. Less than one-third have income from employment, which in most cases is informally. On the other hand, transfers from pension and retirement benefits are determined by the occupation and type of labor relationship in their previous jobs and many of them must rely on financial transfers from their families. Conclusion: Elderly people, who were interviewed, see their economic security compromised by not having an income to cover basic needs, since a large majority of them lack of fixed incomes. This situation leads them to work informally to live day to day knowing that every time they are getting older, it is more difficult to continue working, the job opportunities are reduced and therefore they must rely on the State or their families.

Keywords : Social security; elderly people; wages and benefits.

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