Needs Assessment and Survival Pattern of Elderly People in Rural Bangladesh

At present, aging is a buzzword that is recognized as a global issue. Bangladesh recently experiences a significant number of people who have faced many types of challenges due to its huge number of elderly people. It is the multidimensional process of physical, mental, and social change, both males & females aged 60 + years. Aging is now a global problem and an upcoming threat for developing countries like Bangladesh. Major social problems of elder people in a rural area are their adjustment in their surroundings, special needs, care giving and care receiving, neglect and harassment. This research aimed to know the needs assessment and survival pattern of elderly people in a rural area. The study has been conducted qualitative and quantitative in nature with a sample size of 120. Necessary data were collected through structured interview schedules, observation, questionnaires, and case study techniques. The survey findings indicate that elderly people are lack access to educational facilities, agricultural resources, decision-making process, sufficient family income, basic health care and they have faced social and physical problems such as lack of social security, personal security, burden feeling, loneliness, special services, heart disease, diabetics, sleeping disturbances, urinary and stomach problem, eye, hearing, dental problem. The government should have a social welfare policy to give special health and medical services through separate wards and units for elderly people.

the parents' care Act 2013. Under social safety net policy, the government approved the national policy on older people 2014 in Bangladesh to establish human rights and security for the senior citizens as a financial, psycho-physical support along with various prioritized services for senior citizen (Islam et al., 2021).
In this connection, the World Health Organization also emphasizes to improve the socio-emotional wellbeing of the elderly people with a view to ensure the standard quality of life. This paper is highlighted to assess the background profile, investigate the needs assessment and the problems of elderly people and its consequences in rural area of Bangladesh.

Rational of the Study
This study found that, elderly people in rural area are facing various types of problems like social, physical, mental, financials and neglect which are related with their social isolation, loneliness, illness, fear, stress and suicidal tendency. So that, we have selected these issues to give guide line and direction to solve their problems.

Objectives of the Study
The main objective of the study is to investigate the needs assessment and survival pattern of elderly people in rural Bangladesh. The specific objectives are: 1) To know about the demographic, socio-economic and family structure of the respondents. 2) Exploring the needs assessment, survival pattern and suggestions of the older people in rural area. 3) Investigate the problems facing in rural area and find out the causes.

Literature Review
A review of books and magazines consistent with various research related to rural elderly is presented.The United Nations, at first declared the International Day of Older Persons at first October in 1991. Identify 18 principles fall into 5 categories like -1) Independence; 2) Participations; 3) Care; 4) Self-fulfillment; 5) Dignity. The United Nations General Assembly recommendation for action in following areas health and nutrition's, protections of elderly consumers, housing and environment, family, social welfare, income security, employment and education. The work of the society and the state in the older welfare is emphasized on organizing media and educational programs initiatives in Bangladesh. With the help of the religious leaders aware about the old age of citizens, making then actives and jealous. Young stars have to take initiatives for aged people to make the part in all the stages of nations building and countries development. There also emphasized on the issues of freedom of the elders, self-interests, care, etc. While discussing knowledge about the elderly, but there did not mention any specific system solving problem. Here the elderly does small things to get rid of their economic bad situation. They are engaged in some activities. Such as selling newspaper, begging, rickshaw driving, collecting plastic bottles etc. Elder people also does nothing in slum areas and dependent on the family members and they suffer from dignity.
The problem of aged population structure in Bangladesh problem of the urban aged women in Bangladesh; a socio-demographic study in Dhaka city; Khanam Pro. Dr. Firoza (P 1-9).
Old aged women of cities are faced such as social, mental, physical, early marriage and educational problems. Among the old age women, divorced women have relatively more problems, statistics shows that among 300 women there are 64% married old women, 7.67% are divorced, 1.66% is helpless old women and 0.67% is unmarried old women.

Operational Definition
Elder people -In general, the Asia-Pacific region is 60 years old and over age they are elderly. Older people are defined according to some features such as losing sight, reducing physical energy, ill health, loss of memory, loss of authority and honor etc. This research, a man over 60 years of old has been being treated as age older people.
Needs Assessment -Systematic process of determining, addressing needs or "gaps" between present con-ditions and desired conditions or "wants" is called needs assessments.
Survival Pattern -Expression of social and cultural advancement to protect rights and navigate emotional pain that elder people manage to continue or exist in spite of difficult circumstances.
Rural -A rural is a geographical area which has land based unique economic, social and production system that is located outside from towns and cities.
Problem -Problem is regarded as unwelcome, harmful and risk matter or situation that people want to resolve.

METHODOLOGY:
We have selected 120 individuals as sample (60 male & 60 female) from two villages named by Sharif bag from Dhamrai Upazila and Noyarhat from Savar Upazila of Dhaka district in Bangladesh. Among these 2 villages we have selected 120 older people through purposive sampling.
This research was conducted by both qualitative and Quantitative method as we can say that it was followed by a mixed method. A list of aged people was selected purposively to conduct the research. All the elderly people of Bangladesh both male and female are the population of the study. The study data has been collected from both primary and secondary sources through interview schedule, case study and observation, published and unpublished research report, journals, books as well as from record and documents of relevant agencies. To collect primary data a semi-structured interview schedule (close and open ended) has been prepared for data collection, which was pre-tested prior to the field work in order to improve its reliability. Data have been collected from selected older persons by direct face to face interview. More over observation technique are applied to collect data.
A checklist has been prepared to conduct the case studies. Two case studies were conducted by using in-depth interview technique. After collecting data, this study used SPSS software for statistical analysis. Then data were analyzed with different simple statistical techniques and results were drawn.    boatman. From the current study in Table 5 it is revealed that 33.33% of the aged men and 33.34% of the aged women live in joint families, 53.33% male and 63.33 female respondents live in nuclear families and 13.34% male and 3.33% female live in alone. This implies that the family bondage in that society is more or less very strong and most of the respondents want to live in joint family to get companions.

Male
Female Both respondents prefer to eat food at morning, noon and night. The Table 6 above shows that, among the respondents, male (11.67%) and females (1.67%) both 6.67% eat rice, fish, meat and vegetables. Male (83.33%) and female (70%) both 76.67% eat rice, pulses, fish and vegetables. Men (5%) and female (28. 33%) both 16.66% eat bread, rice, pulses, so it's seen that most of the female and male eat rice, pulses, fish and vegetables.  It is observed from the above   In the above

Male
Female Both

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:
In view of this study, we see that maximum respondents are 66-70 years old, which is approximately 26.67%. Besides, there are some older than over 70 years old. 80% respondents are believed in the religion of Islam and 20%are believed in the religion of Sanaton. The number of married females and male are 65. 83%, 2.5% are divorced. After this, there are widows in the position, whose number is 28.33% and the separated women whose number is 1.67%. Among the respondents, the illiteracy rate is higher, which is 81.67% and the primary pass is 12.57%. Among the respondents most of the male elderly people work in agriculture, which is 30% and 37.5% female elderly people are engaged in household activities. Only .83% is employed. Other activities that are in place after, for example, the unemployed, and the household work activities, that is, there is no income. There is no income of 67.5% and currently income is 32.5%. Respondents, whose income is up to 7000taka they are fulfilling their personal and familial expenses by the help of their son's.

Case Study-02
Padma Banu (65 years old) is a mother of 3 sons' and one daughter. Her son's and daughter all are married. She is living in a joint family with her son's daughter in laws and grandchildren. Once she used to her house hold alone. Because of their many agricultural lands, they have lots household activities. But now after age, her position in the family has become very unnecessary. Her son's perform all duties to her just only as a responsibility. It has been 12 years her husband Abdul Hamid died. A few years ago she fell slippery from the high ground as a result, she got hurt in the waist, without taking doctor's advice her younger son gone her pain hillers on that moment she got relive but later the pain continued to grow at a level that grew half of its body paralyzed. Now she cannot move alone her need to help with her daughter in laws. It is not possible to do any work due to physical disability. Her life is passing bad situation. She now thinks that if she had a good quality treatment and good come in the past then this situation wouldn't have happened. Now she has only one wish that Allah should let her die soon.

Recommendation
Financial insufficiency is main problems of elder people in Bangladesh. The elder people have to suffer not only for their livelihood but also loneliness, frustration, familial and social deprivation which make elders life difficult. The recommendations of the present study, the results knowledge and experience acquired by the elders are highlighted below.
1) Financial security is an important matter for the elderly. Increasing the target of the old age allowance program and the government's health and social welfare ministry needs to allocate annual and five-year annual plans and national budget money. 2) To provide separate services and free medical care, low travelling cost for the elderly people. 3) Have to organize institutional recreation in the area to remove loneliness or solitude. 4) To ensure safety and security of the elders, need to take steps to keep running the joint family system in force.

5) Family members and educational institutions
should have given the moral education to respect the elders. 6) Proper implementation of Parents Care Act-2013 of Bangladesh.

Limitations
The respondents try to avoid submitting their answer due to the misconception; they thought they will be get involved in any problem. Many respondents are given with a very thoughtful answer and it was a shrinking between them.

CONCLUSION:
The elder population of Bangladesh is a significant part of the total population. The rate and member of elders in this country is increasing gradually. In these villages, most of the elder people are living under the poverty line due to breakdown of rural joint family structure, changes in family customs, activities and family values for which reasons the elders are gradually going to isolated places. The elders are deprived of many basic needs and services including medical care. The study shows that poor elder people in rural areas faces different types of difficult circumstances to meet their basic needs. They are suffering from various types of physical, mental, social and cultural problems.
The programs that are going on for welfare of the elders in our country are less than requirements. So the time has come for the elders to do something new. This is why; government and people of Bangladesh have come forward for welfare of the elders by declaring solidarity with international strategy. So that, elders can enjoy peace in life and necessary steps should have taken by adopting proper information.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
We are acknowledged to the respondents of our study and also we are grateful to some of our students who helped to collect data. We are thankful to the University authority for permitting to conduct the research.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:
There are no potential conflicts of interest among the authors.