Social Security Status of Senior Citizens in Nepal (A Case Study of the Kathmandu Pashupati Elderly People's Home)

Abstract

Ageing has now become a big problem with unprecedented increase in the number of elderlypeople worldwide. In 1950, the number of people above 60 years of age was about 200 million.The number tripled to nearly 600 million by 2000. By 2025, the number of such persons isexpected to exceed 1 billion. The problem is more serious in Asia, where half of the world's oldpeople are living. About two-thirds of the world's total people above 60 years of age will be livingin this region by 2050. The population of this age-group is projected to reach 1,200 million by theyear 2015. The number of children in Asia will decline marginally over the next 50 years. The oldpeople will start outnumbering children by 2040. By 2050, there will be 25 percent more oldpeople than children in Asia (Source: UN Resolution on Ageing, 2001). In Nepal, the share of elderly persons (60 years and above) was 5 percent between 1952-54. Thefigure increased to 5.8 percent in 1991 and 6.5 percent (1.48 million) in 2001(www.kantipuronline.com/ko/newsphp). The elderly population is estimated to double by the year2017. Elderly people in Nepal are usually found active and productive in their advancing years.They are seen involved in many activities ranging from childcare, cattle herding,and handicraftmaking toother farming related jobs. Elderly females, in particular, mostly share responsibilitiesin household chores. However, their contribution and economic value have not been dulyrecognized. Making an overall assessment of the living conditions of the elderly people staying at the PEPHwas the general objective of the study. Assessing the challenges of senior citizens at PEPH;identifying the reasons for the displacement of a large number of old-aged people from theirhomes and making recommendations to the concerned authorities regarding the urgent steps tobe taken for helping the old-aged people were the specific objectives of this study. Of the total population, only 30 people were selected as the respondents in this study. Therespondents were selected on the basis of simple random sampling method, while the populationwas purposively selected. Questionnaire was the major tool of collecting data. Apart from this, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) were also used forcollecting more reliable data from the field survey. It was found that majority of therespondents had their own homes. But they were found to haveleft their homes due to conflict and lack of harmony with their family members. Some of them hadlost their homes due to natural disasters. Lack of persons to offer them food and necessarycare.Lossof income, domination by their family members, physical disabilities were the major reasonsbehind choosing PEPH as theirshelter. Majority of the respondents were found satisfied with theservices being provided to them at the PEHP. Speaking on the ground of the food served at thePEPH, 63.3% stated that the food was reasonable. Majority of the respondents said that whateverclothes being given to them were sufficient and satisfactory. Similarly, while assessing theconsideration of the voices of elderly people at PEPH, about73.3 percent stated that theirvoiceswere considered. Speaking on the satisfaction level of the respondents on the medical facilitiesoffered to them, about 86.6 percent of the respondents were happy with the medical facilities beingprovided at the elderly home. Most of them complained of rheumatism, asthma and loss ofappetite. About 56.6% pointed out the need for making overall improvements in the facilities andservices being offered to the people at the shelter home. Majority of the respondents were found tobe childless and about 33.3% of the respondents conceded the fact that they had children.Speaking on the habit of smoking, majority of the respondents said that they were smokers. About23.3 percent of them said that they quit smoking after it had a negative impact in toheir health.To sum up, the social security status of the elderly people atPEPH was found to be satisfactory.However, there are some challenges and problems that need to be addressed in due course of timefor the welfare of the elderly people living at PEPH.