Status of Elderly People Living in Briddha Ashram (A Case Study of Pasupati Briddha Ashram, Kathmandu)

Abstract

The thesis was conducted on Pashupati ashram on elderly population living in Ashram. An ashram is a home for elderly citizens who are either abandoned by the family members or are left with no family. Pashupati Bridha ashram is government funded which seem all facilities. They have somehow able to manage the basic facilities to eat and live, but looks very sympathetic. They are hardly managing their hand to mouth problems. In the ashram basic need of elderly people provided by government. The specific or immediate objectives of the study were; to identify the socio-economic profile of elderly population living in elderly home, to assess the services, facilities or support for elderly people in the study area, to identity health practices of elderly people and the problems being faced by them. This study is based on descriptive research design. Analytical type of design had also been adopted in order to analyze the data collected from the field. Both descriptive and analytical designs have helped to find out the existing socio-economic, demographic and health status of the sampled population. A non probability sampling procedure was for the thesis. Purposive sampling technique was used since an equal amount of participation from different kinds of Ashram is thought to be more informative. In this study, data were collected through direct interview of the respondents with the help of questionnaire made in advance, which included both open-ended as well as close-ended questions. Most of the respondents were living in the Ashrams in Pashupati because of two reasons: no family left and hatred of the family members at their old age those who had family. The health conditions of respondents interviewed were also found to be very poor in general. Towards the policies of the government needed to manage the betterment of the lives of elderly people, respondents opined that government should initiate a maximum care to them including good increase of monthly allowances, adequate basic facilities, and free medical treatment and well managed Ashrams. There should be better condition between the government and other agencies (NGO'S/INGO'S) to solve the problems faced by elderly people. While making policies on elderly people living in bridhashram the government should pay attention on the following areas.