An old person feels helpless in almost all respects. He becomes detached from all sources of income and depends on others for a fair living and, in some cases, for a bare minimum. If good luck is with him, he lives in his own house with his son and daughter-in-law. But if bad luck strikes, he becomes destitute in his own house which finally becomes his son's. The command of the house goes to his son and daughter-in-law.
If the old man already loses his wife, sufferings and pains compound. As days go by, slowly he becomes further weak physically, and at times, prays to God for an early end to his miseries and life. The old person was once a mighty person, received many 'salams' and words of praise when he walked past the corridors of his job's place.
When he commanded and led, others followed. But once he retired, suddenly he became an unknown person to his ex-colleagues and in the neighbourhood where he lives in. Very few people visit him anymore; fewer people call him over telephone. Nobody now disturbs him. He is a lonely person, tries to come to terms with his changed life, seeks to change his life-style and tries to forget many things of the past. If he is religious, he devotes more time to religions studies and spends time in the mosques. If he is not, he tries to find other ways to spend his time, tries to talk and mingle with other old people, spend more time lonely on the bench of a park, watch TV serials and try to talk to sons and daughters who live far away from him.
As the old man gets older, he becomes more weak and at some stage, becomes broken. If his close relatives live near him, they take him to hospitals and sometimes do the same again and again till the old man dies in hospital bed or at his old home. An old person cannot be a chooser, because he does not have money or physical strength for a choice. Choice is to be made for him by others no matter how bad he feels about it. Even if he has money at the bank account, he cannot spend the money, as he cannot go to the markets and shops. Despair and anxiety about the remaining days of his life engulf his psyche. He forgets his past, lies down longer on beds and goes out for a while if somebody helps.
What can the nation do for these old men who had once contributed to the nation and now lead a dysfunctional life? The nation can do something for them, but unfortunately it is not aware of or mindful about the needs and pains of the old people. Do we still remember how our parents used to feed us even when they had very small amount of food to eat? Do we still recollect how much our fathers had to work to meet expenses of our upbringing?
The government is distributing money all around. But is it aware of the needs of the country's old people or the senior citizens, to be exact? What do we see around? The government is not up to the expectations in this case. Can the old people maintain a decent life with the money he receives from pension after retirement from job? For honest persons, who only served the government with utmost care, a decent life with the pension money is impossible. These honest persons, though reluctantly, live with their sons and daughters who bear their fathers' expenses after his retirement.
But what's about million others who were outside government jobs? Aren't they human beings? Didn't they contribute to the cause of the nation as the retired government employees did?
The government's budget for the coming fiscal year is to be placed before parliament very soon. Can't the government do something more for nation's old people? Certainly it can, if it becomes more mindful. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Increase the interest rates of the savings certificates the retiring old people buy with their pension money. Only 1-2 per cent increase in the interest rate will not cost the government much. These people cannot go elsewhere for investment. If they just hold the pension money in bank accounts, it will be spent up too quickly. So, give them a better return on savings certificates. This will help them financially.
2. For old people in general, an 'old age cash allowance' programme can be introduced. The cash allowance can be given to the people aged 65 or more. The selective old people who will be entitled to such cash payments shall have to be poor.
3. In hospitals, a discount of 20-25 per cent should be given to the old people aged 65 and beyond on the expenses billed to them. A government directive will be needed for this purpose.
4. The government should construct more old-age shelter homes.
5. A senior citizen policy should be there which will describe the privileges and entitlements to be received by the old people.
The writer is a Professor of Economics, University of Dhaka.
abuahmedecon@yahoo.com
Let budget take care of senior citizens
Abu Ahmed | Published: June 04, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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