A Study on the Livelihood Status of Elderly People in Slum Area of Bangladesh: Evidence from Chattogram City

Abstract

The elderly people living in slum areas are exposed to a substandard living conditions. This paper examined the livelihood status of elderly people in slum areas of Chattogram city. The empirical data were collected from a sample of 52 people in purposive manner in five slum areas (Arefin Nagar, Motihorna, Jhautola, Chandranagar and IW Colony, Sholosahar) through survey and observation method. The study examined the various aspects of the livelihood status of the elderly people in slum areas of Chattogram city. The findings showed that majority of the respondents did not get old age allowance. The study found that the basic civic facilities like water, gas, garbage disposal and access to toilet vary from slum area to slum area. All the respondents had access to electricity, while two-third of the respondents had no access to the use of natural gas. The study revealed that a vast majority of the respondents preferred to go to pharmacy rather than government medical hospital as the source of treatment. It is significant to note that a vast majority of the respondents were not neglected in their family. Therefore, the study recommends that old age allowance, health care facilities, social security, basic civic services and infrastructural facilities should be increased to upgrade the substandard livelihood condition of the elderly slum dwellers in Chattogram city.