The quality of life of the elderly vs social policy in Russia[Качество жизни пожилых vs социальная политика в России]

The quantitative and qualitative results of the implementation of measures aimed at promoting active longevity and improving the quality of life of the elderly in Russia in the context of current socio-economic and demographic trends are analyzed using the data of the Russian Monitoring of Economic Situation and Population Health (RLMS-HSE), Federal State Statistics Service, Rosstat studies using comparative analysis. Population ageing is recognized as an objective global trend, which is unlikely to reverse in the coming decades. This places particular demands on government social policy, which determines the overall direction of efforts to preserve the population and increase its activity at older ages. Russia is distinguished from most European countries by its significantly lower life expectancy against the background of a relatively high retirement age. As a result, for the average Russian man, retirement actually coincides with his passing. The declared increase of life expectancy by almost three years in 2022 as compared to 2021 is associated with lower mortality from COVID-19 and is unlikely to be seen as a result of the government's social policy. It is concluded that the measures taken do not correspond to the declared objectives of social policy in relation to the older generation, as evidenced by the increase in the retirement age against the background of sluggish growth in life expectancy. The winding down of the network of social and medical institutions under the guise of "optimization" despite the growing need for them at older ages; a comparatively low level of digital literacy of older people, which, contrary to expectations and purpose, hinders their social integration process. The findings are particularly important for demographically depressed regions of Russia due to their increased need for population retention because of low birth rates, migration outflows and negative dynamics in the age structure.