Gifts for long-lived residents, free museum entry and a banya: how the Decade of the Elderly will unfold in Tatarstan

      The oldest man in Tatarstan is 105, the oldest woman is 108

      The number of centenarians has risen to 294

      One in four residents of Tatarstan is older than working age, and in total 294 centenarians aged 100 and over live in the republic, Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the Republic of Tatarstan Elmira Zaripova reported. “There are 294 centenarians aged 100 and over living in Tatarstan, including 33 men and 261 women. The increase in the share of elderly people is explained by the demographic situation both nationally and in the republic. Just two years ago, there were 211 people who had passed the centennial mark,” she said.

      The oldest man living in Tatarstan, Aleksandr Lipatov, is 105 years old; he is from Pestretsy. The oldest female centenarian, Galina Sharafutdinova, is 108 years old; she lives in Yelabuga.

      Who is considered a veteran of labor and what benefits they are entitled to

      Elderly people in our republic receive various social support measures. A large cohort of benefit recipients are veterans of labor. “A veteran of labor is a person who meets two conditions — the presence of state awards or departmental marks of distinction, and a work (insurance) record. For women — 20 years, for men — 25 years. Departmental marks of distinction are, for example, in the education system the badge ‘Veteran’ of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Education’s badge of distinction ‘Excellence in Education,’” Elmira Zaripova noted.

      Departmental distinctions in the healthcare, social protection and agricultural systems include honorary certificates from the corresponding ministries; for finance employees — the badge ‘Excellence in Financial Work’; for transport workers — the badge ‘Honored Worker of Transport of Russia.’

      “Veterans of labor can apply for support measures when a pension for reaching the corresponding age is granted. A condition is also low income, less than 20,000 rubles,” Zaripova added.

      Veterans of labor receive a monthly cash payment (EDV) of 630 rubles, a 50% subsidy for payment of housing and communal services, a 50% subsidy for payment of a landline telephone and antenna, a 50% discount on fares for water and suburban rail transport, a social travel pass, free dental prosthetics and hearing aid fitting. Currently, 133,000 people use these support measures.

      She noted that at the initiative of the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, a bill was introduced that was considered last week at a session of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan.

      “From January 1 the income threshold will be raised to 23,000 rubles. Accordingly, from 2026 veterans of labor with incomes below 23,000 rubles will be eligible for social support measures. This will lead to a 50% increase in the number of recipients. We expect that an additional 64,000 people will gain the right to benefits,” Zaripova said.

      Budget expenditures for these purposes this year amounted to more than 3 billion rubles, and next year will increase to 5 billion rubles.

      Pensioners receive a social travel pass and certificates for sanatorium-resort treatment

      The next large group of beneficiaries are pensioners and pre-pensioners who are not federal or regional beneficiaries. If their incomes are less than 20,000 rubles, they are also entitled to a payment of 630 rubles, a social travel pass and the right to sanatorium-resort treatment in Tatarstan health resorts (paid from 5–25%, depending on income).

      “Since last year we have been issuing an electronic certificate in the amount of 25,000 rubles. … Annually about 3,000 elderly people among low-income pensioners use this measure,” Zaripova clarified.

      In addition, owners of residential premises aged 70 and over are entitled to compensation of 50 to 100% for the payment of the capital repair contribution. People aged 80 and over receive 100% compensation.

      29 lonely elderly people live in foster families

      Thanks to the project “Foster Family for an Elderly Person,” 29 lonely elderly people from Tatarstan live in foster families.

      “People who have no relatives could be placed in an institutional care home. But, especially in rural areas, we do not abandon elderly people. We do not abandon our neighbors who are left alone due to age or illness. There are people who take an elderly person into their family,” the Minister of Labor of the RT said.

      The monthly payment to the assistant is small and amounts to 10,000 rubles for care and supervision of a person with a first-group disability, 8,000 rubles for a second-group disability and 6,000 rubles for a third-group disability or without disability.

      “This project is not about money, but about happiness, support and help,” Zaripova emphasized.

      Also in the republic there is free retraining and employment for elderly people. People over 65 from rural areas are annually transported by vehicle to medical organizations for medical check-ups (dispensarization). Under the “Active Longevity” program, various events are held for the older generation aimed at maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle and self-realization. Thus, under the “Golden Years” project, it is possible to visit swimming pools for free on certain days and hours. The republican Spartakiad of pensioners “Third Age” is held annually, as well as chess and checkers tournaments.

      Tatarstan centenarians will receive gift sets

      A large number of events are planned during the decade of elderly people in Tatarstan. All enterprises and organizations will hold ceremonies honoring veterans.

      “On behalf of the Head of the RT, a gift set will be delivered to every citizen who has reached the age of 100. Heads of municipal districts have been tasked with congratulating people who, by their labor, made a contribution to the socio-economic development and prosperity of Tatarstan and Russia,” Elmira Zaripova said.

      Hotlines will operate in all districts, free legal assistance will be organized, job fairs and employment events will take place, and anniversaries of married couples will be celebrated. Mobile medical teams are also planned to visit remote villages to conduct medical examinations and provide medical care to the elderly.

      “October 1 is not a reminder of age, but a wonderful opportunity to say warm words to your relatives and loved ones, to call, visit and ask how they are living, what problems they have, what worries them. Maybe you need to help make an appointment with a doctor. The main task is to express words of gratitude for kindness, warmth and conscientious work. The hearts of these people have preserved the energy of youth, which today warms and supports their loved ones,” Zaripova noted.

      Free admission to museums, the zoo-botanical garden and baths

      During the days of the decade, theaters, libraries, local history museums, museum-reserves, and museums of city and village history in Tatarstan will open their collections and hold free events for older people. Student work brigades will carry out the “Good Deeds Landing” campaign and assist lonely elderly people in remote areas.

      “On October 6, the ‘Soul Sings, Autumn Dances’ autumn ball for lovers of life will be held at the Saydash Cultural Center in Kazan. From October 1 to 10 municipal museums of the city will provide free admission to pensioners. From October 1 to 3 all elderly people presenting a pension certificate will be able to visit the Kazan zoo-botanical garden for free,” said Irina Smirnova, head of the social policy department of the Kazan executive committee.

      For all elderly people, on October 1 five baths in Kazan will be open free of charge upon presentation of a passport and pension certificate. Last year almost 2,000 people visited the baths free of charge on that day.

      Veterans from Tatarstan raised more than 4 million rubles for those affected in Kursk region

      Chairman of the Regional Public Organization of Veterans (Pensioners) of the RT Khabir Ishtiryakov spoke about the activity of elderly people, their participation in charitable events and campaigns.

      “When Ukrainian armed formations broke into the Kursk region, elderly people from their modest pensions collected more than 4 million rubles within three weeks as part of the ‘Veterans to the Front’ campaign. Not every businessman would do that. With these funds we purchased food packages and sent them on three trucks to the Kursk region to help those in need,” he said.

      In the Nurlat and Leninogorsk boarding homes, 21 elderly people from the Kursk region live. They were transported from boarding homes destroyed during the bombings.

      “We provided them with winter coats, hats, valenki [traditional felt boots], and medicines,” Ishtiryakov noted.

      Insurance pensions will be indexed by 7.6% in 2026

      From January 1, 2025, Russia carried out another indexation of insurance pensions by 10.95%, the head of the Branch of the Social Fund of Russia for the Republic of Tatarstan, Eduard Vafin, reported.

      He recalled that in Tatarstan the indexation affected more than 1 million recipients of insurance pensions. In addition, from January 1 indexation of pensions for working citizens was resumed, which allowed working pensioners to also receive an increased insurance pension. And from April 1 social pensions were indexed by 14.75%.

      “As a result of all the measures taken, the average size of old-age insurance pensions in Tatarstan reached 24,614 rubles,” Vafin noted.

      The Russian government has approved pension indexation for 2026. From January 1 insurance pensions will be indexed by 7.6%, and from April 1 — by 6.8%.

      Most elderly people suffer from circulatory system diseases

      Acting Minister of Health of the RT Almir Abashev said that 91% of people over 60 in Tatarstan have circulatory system diseases, up to 45% have musculoskeletal disorders, and 34% have nervous system diseases.

      “The geriatric service in the republic is widely represented by an outpatient network; there are 74 geriatric offices in cities and districts. Since the beginning of the year 17.2 thousand consultations have been provided. In the inpatient network there are 222 geriatric beds; inpatient care has been provided to more than 3 thousand patients,” he said.

      This year more than 32.6 thousand rural residents aged 65 and over were transported to central district hospitals by vehicles of social service centers for dispensarization. More than 21 thousand people over 60 received advisory assistance. Overall, the number of people covered by preventive measures this year increased by 11% to 47.3 thousand people. At the same time, the number of diseases detected during screenings is decreasing.

      Photo: © Sultan Iskhakov / “Tatar-inform”