Elderly Population, Climate Vulnerability and Social Security: Perspective of Bangladesh Coastal Zones

The population of Bangladesh is acutely vulnerable to climate change on shorelines, and elderly people are one particularly vulnerable group. The presented study provides a thorough evaluation of climate-related vulnerabilities, adaptation, and resilience mechanisms among the elderly residents in this high-risk area. It also provides a critical analysis of the effectiveness of existing governmental social safety nets and non-governmental support networks in mitigating the specific threats faced by this group during disasters caused by climate-related factors, such as floods and cyclones. A qualitative methodology was employed, and the study was conducted in a climate-vulnerable village in the Shyamnagar Upazila, Satkhira District. The results indicate that the vulnerability of older adults is a multi-dimensional entity, as intersecting physical, economic, and social conditions influence it. Physical barriers include reduced mobility and long-term illnesses that hinder evacuation and access to medical care. The lack of economic security, driven by frequent losses occasioned by disasters and inadequate social allowances, does not allow people to invest in emergency adaptive mechanisms. In addition, the migration of younger families out of the country also diminishes traditional support systems through social isolation. In response, elderly people turn to the mechanisms of resiliency, based on traditional wisdom, community coherence, and spiritual beliefs. These informal systems, however, are becoming subject to tension. Formal support is often inadequate, with government aid being hindered by bureaucracy and NGO assistance tending to be reactive rather than sustained. This study highlights a significant gap in climate adaptation policies based on age. It also concludes that there must be a strategic change, in the form of generalised aid being replaced with proactive, age-focused resiliency-building programs. Through the empowerment of local governments to establish and enforce specific countermeasures, including local shelters, built-in climate-adaptive healthcare, and stable communication networks, the chances of experiencing a safer and more dignified life for other ageing people in the Bangladesh coastal areas increase.