Elderly Care in Bangladeshi Rural Families

Globally elderly people are alarmingly increasing day by day. In a developing country, like Bangladesh elderly people are vulnerable in many ways, especially in the neighbor context of rural areas. Using qualitative methods (e.g., IDIs, KIIs, and FGDs), this study aims to explore the fulfillment of basic needs (e.g., food, clothes, shelter, health, recreation) of elderly people in the neighborhoods of rural areas in Bangladesh. Findings show that majority of times, the rural elderly people of neighborhood areas do not get sufficient foods due to the poverty and inability to work. Due to getting less care, they are deprived of getting required clothes, treatment and medicine, and secured housing. This study argues that the elderly people of neighborhood areas feel loneliness and found family's burden. Consequently, they face many health problems (physical sickness, mental dissatisfaction). The findings suggest that the government, NGOs and other community-based organizations (CBOs) to take initiatives for taking care of elderly people so that they can live a healthy and secure life.