Govt plans to build resort for senior citizens

The government is going to build the maiden resort for senior citizens at Sreemangal in Sylhet where people over 60 will get safe residential facilities.

The resort will be built under a public-private partnership (PPP) by the Department of Social Services and Universal Medical College Hospital with a target to start the accommodation facility in two years.

Director General of the Department of Social Services Gazi Mohammad Nurul Kabir and Chairman of Universal Medical College Hospital Priti Chakraborty yesterday signed a contract at a local hotel to build the resort named “Oboshor” on six-acre land. Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan were present.

Muhith expressed hope that the initiative would benefit senior citizens.

The hospital in a statement says there would be about 100 safe residential units and a 50-bed hospital.

The resort would provide comprehensive, in-home, non-medical and personal care services to senior citizens and others in need of assistance.

“Oboshor” facilitates independent living, assisted living and nursing homecare in one location, the statement adds.

The resort would have a range of options with multiple facilities. Depending on the age and mobility of the patients, it would also offer accessible accommodation and ground-floor rooms without stairs.

The resort, in one of its documents, said spouses could live close to each other even if one requires a higher level of care. The cost would be reasonable and affordable, it said.

Priti told reporters the estimated cost of the project is more than Tk 80 crore. She added accommodation cost was not yet fixed but expressed hope that it would be lower if they could manage grants and soft loans.

Ashis told The Daily Star there would be two types of arrangements -- rent and lease.

A person can rent accommodation for three days or a month to leave their elderly father or mother before going abroad or under any such circumstances.

Or a person can take lease of accommodation for 30 to 35 years, he added.

Besides, if children of senior citizens staying in the resort want to stay there, separate dormitory facilities would be available for them, he said.

There will be indoor and outdoor games, fishing and outings in the nearby tea gardens as part of recreational activities.

Currently, the number of senior citizens in the country is about 1.5 crore, which is 7 percent of the total population. Every year the number is increasing at a rate of 4.41 percent due to a rise in the average life span.