'Wake up to senior citizens' needs'
A favourable environment should be ensured for elderly people so that they can live with dignity and in comfort, said social researchers at a seminar yesterday.
Besides, awareness about their needs and responsibilities of others toward them should develop to reduce problems they face daily in their lives, they observed.
The seminar styled “Prospects of Ageing Well in Bangladesh” was jointly organised by Age Well Foundation Bangladesh and Institute of Social Welfare and Research (ISWR) of Dhaka University (DU) at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban.
Addressing the discussion, Prof Muhammad Samad of ISWR said, “The government and NGOs (non-government organisations) should sincerely work to provide healthcare and social services to elderly people for their care and welfare.”
Presenting a keynote paper, Prof ASM Atiqur Rahman of ISWR said a small portion (seven percent) of the total population in Bangladesh constitute the elderly. But, actually the number is around 10 million, which is quite significant.
The elderly people in Bangladesh face different problems including complexities regarding their health, negligence, isolation and loneliness, and fail to assert their rights and access to resources and shelter, he stated.
Prof Atiqur said the elderly need proper medical care, adequate financial support, necessary housing and accommodation arrangements, social security and safety, and friendly transportation and communication facilities.
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