Most senior citizens living in neglect: DU survey

The majority of the country's elderly population suffer abuse, exploitation, poor health, and get very limited opportunity to spend leisure, according to a study.

The nationwide survey revealed that the elderly, defined as people aged above 60, are often considered the burden of the family even if they are actively involved in household activities.

The population sciences department of Dhaka University, with financial support from UNFPA, surveyed more than 6,000 elderly people across seven divisions of the country.

Findings show that four-fifths experience restrictions in enjoying their leisure, 61.2 percent are suffering from some kind of depression, and two-thirds experience abuse and exploitation by family members.

During the launch of the survey at a seminar at the university's Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, the speakers said the elderly population was an emerging issue for Bangladesh as the country was one of the 20 developing nations with large elderly populations.

With the family size on decline, family support for the elderly will be in jeopardy, they said, adding that their population would increase with the rise in life expectancy.

Among the challenges the elderly people are going to face are insolvency, loss of authority, social insecurity, insufficient recreational facilities, and lack of physical and mental care, problems associated with the living arrangements, the seminar was told.

According to the survey, nine out of 10 elderly people think they deserve social safety net allowances.

Chairman of the population sciences department Aminul Huq, Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique and UNFPA Deputy Representative in Bangladesh Iori Kato were present.