CARICOM CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (CCDP)

National Census Report 2001, St. Vincent and the GrenadinesCHAPTER 10The Elderly10.1 IntroductionThis Chapter presents a situational analysis of the elderly (persons 65 years or older) in St.Vincent and the Grenadines in 2001, with respect to their marital status, living arrangement,economic activity and livelihood, disability and illness and their exposure to crime. The elderlyis one of the most vulnerable groups in society.10.2 The Elderly Sub-populationThe population of St. Vincent and the Grenadines had 7 753 persons that were the 65 years andolder. There were more females (4 351) than males (3 402) in this age group representing 56.12and 43.88 per cent, respectively.10.3 Union Status of the ElderlyData on the union status of the elderly indicate that the majority (54.69 per cent) of them werenot in union; including 20.82 per cent who reported being widowed and 29.29 per cent whoreported they had never been married. Nearly two-fifths of the elderly reported being legallymarried (37.47 per cent), 5.43 per cent reported being in a common-law relationship and 0.63 percent reported having a visiting partner, (Table 10.1).The elderly males were more likely to report being married (51.91 per cent) or living incommon-law union (8.14 per cent), compared to the elderly females (26.18 per cent married and3.31 per cent in common-law union). On the other hand, elderly females (27.99 per cent) wereover two times more likely than the elderly males (11.64 per cent) to have been widowed and notin union, i.e. they did not remarry or lived with another partner.120