As of 2019, over 13 million elderly people living in Bangladesh (aged over 60), which is 8% of its total population. The proportion of elderly people is expected to double to 21.9% by 2050, which would be about 36 million. It means one in every five Bangladeshis will be a senior citizen.¹

As people age, they face many changes in their lives and face many sources of stress. People do not remain the same as they used to be, illness becomes more of a problem, children move away from them, spouse, relatives, friends and companions they love die, they become lonely day by day, and eventually they retire from work. All these changes have great impacts on the mental health of elderly people. Sometimes it is felt that coping with all those changes is really difficult for the seniors; however, evidence showed that it is not impossible. The keys to coping include one’s long-term lifestyle, ability to expect and plan for change, strength of relationships with surviving family and friends, and willingness to stay interested in and involved with life.² Therefore, it is very important to think carefully about your mental health – what will happen to you as you are ageing and how you are going to deal with the changes happening in you.