MOSCOW, September 29, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information about the views of Russians towards senior citizens, whether they think the rights of elderly persons are respected in our country, whether the retirement age should be raised and how to live in old age.

What is old age?

Many Russians feel respect when they see elderly persons (57%). Most of them are respondents younger than 44 (61-63%). Thirty-eight percent of respondents feel pity; 35% - willingness to help (mainly 18-24-year-old respondents - 42%). Every fifth feel the sense of injustice (21%) and anger at the state (20%) - mainly respondents aged above 60 (28 and 25% respectively). Rarer Russians mention embarrassment (8%), admiration, pride for the country, calmness (4% for each), and irritation (2%).    

Russians think that senior citizens are wise (19%) and kind (14%). Eleven percent of respondents describe them as being grouchy, 10% - judicious, 9% - honest. Six percent (for each) think they are polite, and respectable; 5% (for each) - painful, naïve, and responsive. Respondents also find them courageous (4%), apathetic, economical, angry, boring, desperate (3% for each), patriotic, stupid, conservative, poor, suspicious, generous, sincere (2% for each), communicative, proud, cheerful (1% for each). 

The old age comes when you are 60-64 years old, a quarter of respondents say (25%). Other 18% are confident that you become an old person when you are 70-74. Two percent think that the retirement age should be 40-49 years; 9% mention 50-54; 7% (for each) point out 55-59 and 65-69-year-old age; 4% (for each) -  75-79 and 80-89. Other 1% thinks that you are a senior citizen if you are 90 years old. Nevertheless, 5% think that the retirement age depends on the person: 2% think the old age refers to the end of working life, and 1% thinks it deals with health problems.

Russians are frightened of losing their health (11%), poorness, helplessness and loneliness when retired (8% for each).Two percent are scared that with the old age comes uncertainty; other 2% are scared of death. Rarer Russians are worried with poor treatment and changing appearance (1% for each). However, the relative majority of Russians are not afraid of getting old (43%); and every fifth do not even think about it (55%).

Rights of the senior citizens are not respected in Russia. Compared to 2005 those who share this stance have become more (67% versus 59% respectively). Only every fifth are confident that rights of the elderly persons are respected in our country (21%, in 2005 - 37%).

How to live on a pension?

The most important condition for well-being in old age is savings rather than having lived interesting life, our fellow-citizens think. Nevertheless, the percentage of supporters who have the former point of view has decreased over the recent ten years (53% versus 60% in 1998); the percentage of those who have the latter position has increased (39% versus 28% respectively).

Every third Russian is planning to continue the working activity after the retirement age (34%) - most of them are respondents aged 45-59 (44%). Twenty-three percent of Russians are going to use their right to retire - they are basically those who have become 60 (37%). Those who would like to quit working before the retirement age are in the minority (3%). Nevertheless, 26% of Russians have not thought about it - most of them are Russians aged 18-24 (56%).

An overwhelming majority of Russians think there is no point in raising the retirement  age (88%) - most of them are respondents aged above  35 (89-90%). Only 4% support this idea (in 2006 they were 7%).  

Less Russians who have not reached retirement age count on additional income sources - 47% versus 60% in 2005. On the contrary, the percentage of those who are planning to live on a pension has grown (from 24 to 39%).

Those who count on additional financial sources mention their professional work salary (37%) or other working activities they could manage (27%). Over the recent four years the share of those who count on their children's help has almost doubled (from 10% in 2005 to 19% currently). On the contrary, our fellow-citizens rarer think that they will be able to make ends meet at the expense of self-grown food products (8% versus 13% respectively). Seven percent are planning to live on a salary of spouse who would work when retired; 6% are planning to live on savings; 5% count on private supplementary pension system; 3% - on renting property. Rarer Russians count on charitable organizations, inheritance or money acquired from exchanging their living space for a smaller one (1% for each). Every fifth Russian who has not reached retirement age postpones retirement planning till the age of retirement (20%).

As before, the majority of retired Russians do not have any additional sources of income (65%). Most of them are men (68% versus 64% among women). Nevertheless, 30% of respondents have financial income other than pension (30%) - every third woman (32%) and only every fourth man (25%) report so.

In most of cases additional sources of income for elderly persons in Russia are help of their children (27% versus 20% in 2005) and earnings from their professional work (26% versus 16% respectively). The percentage of those who live on money received from the working activity they are able to do has increased (from 14 to 19%); the share of those who try to make ends meet at the expense of farming has decreased (from 29 to 18% respectively). Rarer senior citizens live on spouses` earnings (7%), savings (6%), rental property income (3%), assistance from charitable organizations (2%), and money received from their living space exchanged for  a smaller one (1%).   

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on September 19-20, 2009. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin oferror does not exceed 3.4 %.

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