Making a living last longer
In 2010, HelpAge International sought to improve its understanding of the challenges faced by older people in securing a sustainable livelihood.
We did this by carrying out research in rural and urban Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India and Tanzania.
The findings are outlined in this report.
Securing a sustainable livelihood in older age is a challenge for over 180 million older people in low and middle income countries who live in poverty, with no savings, assets or pensions.
Older people have no choice but to work until ill health or frailty forces them to stop.
For older people, secure livelihoods are achieved through assets, access to pensions or other cash transfer schemes and through the support of family and community.
However, this research has found older people face significant barriers in achieving livelihood security due to lack of regular and sufficient income such as non-contributory pensions.
In addition to its findings, this paper proposes some key guiding principles for governments, community-based organisations, NGOs, MFIs and others working to support older people to achieve greater livelihood security.
