Senior citizens need more attention

The budget for 2021-22 has widened the social safety nets. It set aside Tk 3,420 crore for elderly persons, up from Tk2,940 crore in the current fiscal. Some 9.7 million people will get the benefits, an increase by 800,000 from the running year. However, this is far from enough.
Senior citizens in Bangladesh who amid his government’s yearning for human resource development in the country, is being given a raw deal in virtually all spheres of life. Many people here often proudly say that the elderly here are treated in a much better manner compared to Western countries? Really? The meager allowance for the elderly is but one example of the hollowness of the claim. While there is some level of respect, rise in materialistic values has taken away the real reverence that our society once had for the elderly.
Unfortunately, for all our talk about ‘respecting age’, we regard wrinkles and grey hair with a measure of horror. When we talk of our demographic challenge, it is inevitably about ageing. Who will bear the cost of longevity? Do we have the institutional structures in place? What is the burden of caring for the elderly?
The youth in general are losing the age-old custom of respect and are also becoming less concerned about the older persons. Prevalence of nuclear families, lack of cross-generation interaction, less social interaction with older persons, age discrimination, lack of social security system in Bangladesh, can be cited as the most important reasons for the miserable condition of many older persons. The age-discrimination is a core concern in all societies. Discrimination against people on grounds of age in Bangladesh is growing at a steady pace.
Bangladesh’s youth bulge — the large number of citizens below the age of 30 — is often the subject of political and social commentary. This is understandable since this demographic is not only a source of opportunity for the country but also a potential ticking social time-bomb. But what about the elderly? Are we paying adequate attention to this segment of the population who, by and large, contributed to their families and society in their heyday of physical and mental liveliness, but who are often left feeling marginalised by society in their advancing years?
The elder population is a fast-growing segment of Bangladesh society nowadays. Every year, approximately 80,000 new older persons enter the group of the older persons who, in general, constitute a socially and economically vulnerable group with the basic needs remaining unmet in many cases. By 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over 60 will be approximately equal to the number of children under 14. The number of people over 75 is increasing faster than any other group.
A study by the University of Dhaka’s Bureau of Economic Research and HelpAge International discovered that elderly people who are not impoverished are getting 50 per cent of the total benefits and about 33 per cent of the fund is going to those who are younger than the eligible age. Another study found that local governments lack the knowledge and interest to properly target relevant beneficiaries most in need.
This paltry allowance is just one example of the hollowness of the lofty claim that our society is an ideal place for senior citizens. While there still is a level of respect, rise in materialistic values has taken away the genuine reverence that our society once had for the elderly. When experts talk of Bangladesh’s demographic advantage, it is always about the youth. On the other hand, whenever there is talk of demographic challenge, it is inevitably about ageing. Who will bear the cost of longevity? Do we have the institutional structures in place? What is the burden of caring for the elderly? These are the questions that often arise in discussions about senior citizens.
While by no means exclusive to Bangladesh, another problem that the elderly face in Bangladesh is stigma, as pointed out by Dr. Atiqur Rahman. The stigma described is one that views the elderly as unproductive, unhealthy and needing intensive and constant care.
In Bangladesh the elderly has to visit different government offices for various purposes. The norm here is to have senior citizens visit these offices in person regardless of their health or physical condition. No senior citizen counters exist at these offices, or if they do they are non-operational. This is far from the values taught in schools: to respect, to help and to facilitate senior citizens. Officials should be trained to be patient while dealing with senior citizens. Their attitude shows that either standard operating procedures don’t state how to deal with senior citizens or, if they do, they are not taught, followed and monitored in practical life.
Family members who have to shoulder the responsibility of care-giving should educate themselves about an elderly person’s specific needs including psycho-sociological, dietary, physical, mental and emotional requirements. Awareness about a condition and its related issues can help them understand the patient’s behaviour, such as aggression, and seeking professional counselling on how to deal with these issues can make care-giving easier.
In earlier days, when life was simple and values counted for more, those who reached a ripe old age held an enviable place in society, where they could really relax and enjoy their twilight years, secure in the knowledge that they still commanded attention, respect and affection, and that though they were well past their prime, all that they had given their best for are still important and so were they.

Syed Mehdi Momin is Senior Assistant Editor at The Business Post