Need for elderly care-giving rises

International Day of older persons today

With the advancement of science, the aging population is rapidly growing in the country. However, this population is not getting proper healthcare at home because the young family members are busy with their work.

These elderly people either take care of themselves or depend on untrained domestic helps who do not know how to take care of them. Experts say these elderly people need trained and professional caregivers who know how to measure blood pressure and the blood sugar level, check weight, and offer physiotherapy for joint pain.

Unfortunately, the idea of caregivers has not yet been developed to a large extent in the country, as the government and other organisations have not properly explored this aspect, they said.

Although many NGOs have started providing home-based healthcare services by professional caregivers to old people, the government has taken no such initiative yet.

The NGOs are also at the initial stage of providing home-based health-care services to old people. But the demand for such services has been increasing rapidly, especially in the urban areas where even though old people have money, they cannot avail of the services.

UK-based international organisation Sir William Beveridge Foundation, which works in Bangladesh, provides such services on a small scale to old people at their homes in urban areas like Dhaka.

Right now, they have around 100 professional caregivers who are providing health-care services to the elderly in the capital. Among the service receivers, most are from the middle and upper middle class, foundation sources said.

Manab Sarker, the global project coordinator of the foundation, told The Independent yesterday that the lifespan of people has been increasing due to several factors, like changing lifestyle, education, occupation, food habits, etc.

But most of these old people are not fortunate enough to get health care from their busy family members, he said, adding that they depend on domestic helps who are not trained to provide vital health-care services to them.

“Old people from the upper middle class are mostly helpless, as their young family members live abroad. There is no one to look after them. So, they depend on untrained domestic helps. Most of them suffer tremendously,” he said.

“Though there is a huge demand for professional caregivers, we are failing to meet the demand. We want old people to receive the services at home according to their needs. The caregivers will check the blood sugar and blood pressure levels, offer physiotherapy, and so on,” he added.

He regretted the fact that the home-based  health-care service has not yet been institutionalized, except for some work done by the NGOs. But the government should closely focus on the issue and think that “they will all grow old one day”.

“We can’t kill old people whose numbers are increasing around the world, as well as in Bangladesh, due to the advancement of science. We have to institutionalize the idea of long-time care-giving for them,” ASM Atiqur Rahman, professor of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, told The Independent on Friday.

He said there is a huge demand for trained and professional caregivers in the country. Developed countries have already ensured home-based services for their old.

“The demand for caregivers for the old is increasing in all segments, especially among the affluent classes. But we cannot meet the demand. As these people are mostly looked after by the domestic helps, we can train the maids and helping hands to take care of old people,” said Atiqur Rahman, who is also the secretary general of the Bangladesh Association for the Aged and Institute of Geriatric Medicine (BAAIGM).

He also suggested that the students can be trained in this field as it is done in different developed countries like the US and the UK. It will create a source of income for the students as well, he added.

“But still, there has been no major work or study in this area. BAAIGM and some other NGOs are providing some services. But the government has to come forward as soon as possible. Otherwise, the situation will become grave in the future,” he observed.

“Old age is not an impediment to development. Many of our elderly people, including the Prime Minister, are actively working even now. The old can still lead the society,” he said, adding that they need proper professional care.

 

Need for elderly care-giving rises

International Day of older persons today

With the advancement of science, the aging population is rapidly growing in the country. However, this population is not getting proper healthcare at home because the young family members are busy with their work. These elderly people either take care of themselves or depend on untrained domestic helps who do not know how to take care of them. Experts say these elderly people need trained and professional caregivers who know how to measure blood pressure and the blood sugar level, check weight, and offer physiotherapy for joint pain. Unfortunately, the idea of caregivers has not yet been developed to a large extent in the country, as the government and other organisations have not properly explored this aspect, they said. Although many NGOs have started providing home-based healthcare services by professional caregivers to old people, the government has taken no such initiative yet. The NGOs are also at the initial stage of providing home-based health-care services to old people. But the demand for such services has been increasing rapidly, especially in the urban areas where even though old people have money, they cannot avail of the services. UK-based international organisation Sir William Beveridge Foundation, which works in Bangladesh, provides such services on a small scale to old people at their homes in urban areas like Dhaka. Right now, they have around 100 professional caregivers who are providing health-care services to the elderly in the capital. Among the service receivers, most are from the middle and upper middle class, foundation sources said. Manab Sarker, the global project coordinator of the foundation, told The Independent yesterday that the lifespan of people has been increasing due to several factors, like changing lifestyle, education, occupation, food habits, etc. But most of these old people are not fortunate enough to get health care from their busy family members, he said, adding that they depend on domestic helps who are not trained to provide vital health-care services to them. Old people from the upper middle class are mostly helpless, as their young family members live abroad. There is no one to look after them. So, they depend on untrained domestic helps. Most of them suffer tremendously, he said. Though there is a huge demand for professional caregivers, we are failing to meet the demand. We want old people to receive the services at home according to their needs. The caregivers will check the blood sugar and blood pressure levels, offer physiotherapy, and so on, he added. He regretted the fact that the home-based health-care service has not yet been institutionalized, except for some work done by the NGOs. But the government should closely focus on the issue and think that they will all grow old one day. We cant kill old people whose numbers are increasing around the world, as well as in Bangladesh, due to the advancement of science. We have to institutionalize the idea of long-time care-giving for them, ASM Atiqur Rahman, professor of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, told The Independent on Friday. He said there is a huge demand for trained and professional caregivers in the country. Developed countries have already ensured home-based services for their old. The demand for caregivers for the old is increasing in all segments, especially among the affluent classes. But we cannot meet the demand. As these people are mostly looked after by the domestic helps, we can train the maids and helping hands to take care of old people, said Atiqur Rahman, who is also the secretary general of the Bangladesh Association for the Aged and Institute of Geriatric Medicine (BAAIGM). He also suggested that the students can be trained in this field as it is done in different developed countries like the US and the UK. It will create a source of income for the students as well, he added. But still, there has been no major work or study in this area. BAAIGM and some other NGOs are providing some services. But the government has to come forward as soon as possible. Otherwise, the situation will become grave in the future, he observed. Old age is not an impediment to development. Many of our elderly people, including the Prime Minister, are actively working even now. The old can still lead the society, he said, adding that they need proper professional care.