Social policies for the elderly in Turkey

Industrial revolution is one of the most important turning points in human history. After the Industrial Revolution in the world and Turkey, with the impact of advances in medicine and technology have increased the proportion of the elderly population in the total population. The general outlook for aging is changing rapidly. Aging, it has become a priority issue for developed countries as well as developing countries such as Turkey. As a result of industrialization, migration from rural to urban areas increased and as a result of this, the disintegration of traditional family and kinship ties negatively affected the status and lifestyle of elderly people in the family. Aging is seen as a normal process in some societies and in others it is seen as a social risk. The whole process of demographic change brings to mind the need for more social policies for the elderly and the existing social policies should be developed. Social policies for the elderly in Turkey are the subject of this study. The aim of social policies is to protect individuals against social risks and to prevent possible risks. In this context, considering that Turkey is rapidly aging countries, policies which have from the past in terms of social policies for the elderly were examined. In the context of the study, social policies for the elderly were discussed in detail and evaluations were made to improve social policies and develop new policies. Key Words: Aged, Aging, Old Age, Social Policies