By “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.” — Psalm 71:9
The tragedy of aging is not that people grow old; the tragedy is what society often does to them when they do. There comes a time in every life when strength gives way to frailty, and those who once carried us in their arms need our hands to support them.
Some sit by the window each day, hoping that someone will visit. Some smile when they hear their children’s voices, not because they need money, but because they need to feel remembered. Others say, “We are fine,” even when they are not, because they do not want to be a burden to their families.
Many older persons need help to walk, to eat, to bathe, and to take their medication, yet they suffer in silence because no one is there to assist them. Perhaps the saddest reality is that many of them endure these hardships quietly after spending the greater part of their lives ensuring that others did not suffer.
They sacrificed their strength, their dreams, and often their comfort to raise families and build communities, only to find themselves alone and forgotten in the evening of their lives. Old age should never become a punishment for having lived long. It should be a season marked by dignity, care, companionship, and gratitude, a time when society honours those who once gave so much and ensures that no elderly person is left to suffer in loneliness or neglect.
Aging is an inevitable stage of life. The aged among us are living treasures whose sacrifices, wisdom, and love have shaped our families, communities, and the nation.
Every elderly person we see today was once a young dreamer, a hardworking parent, a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a banker, a politician, a farmer, a nurse, a trader, or a public servant. They spent their productive years nurturing families, educating generations, building communities, contributing to national development, and making sacrifices that continue to benefit society, yet now spend the twilight of their lives in uncertainty, poverty, isolation, neglect, and inadequate support systems.
In some rural communities, accusations of witchcraft and social exclusion still haunt many elderly people, especially women, forcing them into lives of fear and humiliation. Many spend their later years battling loneliness, neglect, financial hardship, and ill health, yearning not for riches but for compassion, dignity, and companionship.
Caring for the aged is therefore not merely a social responsibility; it is a moral obligation and a heartfelt expression of gratitude to those who spent their best years caring for us. Retirement, which should symbolise a period of rest and fulfilment, has become a source of anxiety for many.
Rising healthcare costs, delayed pensions, limited access to social protection, and the absence of specialised elderly care facilities have left many older people vulnerable. How we treat our elderly today reflects not only our humanity but also the kind of society we aspire to build for generations to come.
There is a quiet tragedy unfolding in many homes across Ghana, a tragedy that does not always announce itself with noise but with silence. It is the silence of fathers and mothers who once carried entire families on their shoulders, educating generations, building communities, contributing to national development, and making sacrifices that continue to benefit society, who are now sitting alone for long hours, waiting for attention that rarely comes.
It is the silence of once-strong men and women whose lives were defined by sacrifice, responsibility, and endless giving, now gradually becoming dependent on those they once raised and protected.
Today, many of them sit for long hours in solitude, watching life pass them by. Men who once commanded respect and provided for entire families sometimes eat alone in silence and sleep alone. Days pass without meaningful conversation. Nights stretch long, filled only with reflection and loneliness. The homes they built with effort and pride become too quiet.
The children they once worked tirelessly for become distant, not necessarily out of cruelty, but often because of the pressures and demands of modern life. The race to build careers, pursue wealth and fame, and keep up with the ever-increasing expectations of society leaves little time for meaningful connections with aging parents.
Parents who once spent sleepless nights worrying about the well-being of their children now spend sleepless nights waiting for a phone call, a visit, or a simple reminder that they are not forgotten.
For many elderly women, there is at least some continuity of belonging. Their children often invite them to assist in caring for grandchildren. Their presence remains woven into the fabric of daily family life. They are needed in the kitchen, in childcare, in storytelling, and in preserving family memory. Even in old age, they remain visibly connected to the rhythm of the household. But for many elderly men, old age is often accompanied by a deeper silence. The once lively household becomes a space of memories rather than presence.
Even for those who are fortunate enough to live in their children’s homes, the household becomes active in the morning, but the elderly person is often left behind in stillness. Children leave for school. Adults leave for work. The house becomes empty.
The elderly father or mother remains seated, sometimes unable to move freely, sometimes unable to perform the simplest daily tasks without assistance. The deepest pain of aging is not physical weakness, poverty, or illness. It is invisibility. It is the slow feeling of becoming unnecessary in a world one helped to build.
The Legal Framework
Despite these realities, Ghana’s legal and social protection systems have not yet fully responded to the lived experiences of older persons. Ghana has demonstrated a commitment to the welfare of older persons through the National Ageing Policy and social interventions such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
In addition, SSNIT’s introduction of telehealth services reflects efforts to improve access to healthcare and social support for the elderly. Nevertheless, these measures remain largely policy-driven and fragmented and have not translated into a comprehensive legal framework capable of adequately protecting and promoting the rights and dignity of older persons.
Article 37(6)(b) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana provides that the state shall provide social assistance to the aged, such as will enable them to maintain a decent standard of living. While the constitution mandates that the aged are offered special care and assistance, there remains no comprehensive legal framework specifically designed to guarantee dignity, care, and structured support for the elderly as a vulnerable group.
Recognising the growing challenges associated with population aging, the United Nations General Assembly resolved in 1978 to address issues affecting older persons. This led to the convening of the First World Assembly on Aging in Vienna, Austria, in 1982, where participants adopted the Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging.
The Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing called upon governments to adopt policies and programmes that would enable older persons to live in dignity, enjoy adequate healthcare and social protection, remain integrated within their families and communities, and participate fully in society.
It laid the foundation for subsequent international initiatives, including the United Nations Principles for Older Persons (1991) and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002).
The United Nations Human Rights Council on April 3, 2025, began an intergovernmental process to draft an international human rights treaty on older people aimed at resolving a wide range of human rights violations, which include violence and mistreatment; age-based discrimination; social, economic, and political exclusion; denial of access to care and support services; inadequate social security; exclusion from climate change responses; and abuses in armed conflict.
In 2016, the African Union adopted the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa, a landmark instrument aimed at protecting the dignity, independence, and welfare of older persons. The Protocol obliges member states to safeguard older persons from discrimination, neglect, abuse, harmful traditional practices, and social exclusion.
Ghana has ratified almost all international legislative instruments aimed at enhancing the welfare of the elderly. At the domestic level, the country has formulated and implemented policies that seek to improve the lives of the elderly.
Nonetheless, these measures continue to be largely disjointed and policy-driven and have not yet developed into a unified and comprehensive legal framework that can adequately protect and advance the rights and dignity of older persons.
A society that fails to protect its elderly is ultimately failing to protect its future self. A society is measured not merely by how it treats its strongest members but by how it cares for those who are most vulnerable. Older persons deserve more than sympathy; they deserve rights that are enforceable and systems that are responsive.
Aging is not merely a social issue. It is a question of dignity. It is a question of justice. It is a question of human rights. Older persons do not cease to be human because their hair turns grey. Their rights do not diminish because their bodies have weakened.
Their need for love, companionship, healthcare, housing, food, social protection, and respect does not disappear because they have retired from active work. They deserve opportunities for social engagement and support against loneliness and mental health challenges. Above all, they deserve respect and dignity.
According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service, 4.3 percent (1,325,776) of Ghana’s total population of 30,832,019 are aged 65 and above. The proportions are higher in six regions than the national average: Volta (6.8%), Upper East (6.3%), Eastern (5.7%), Upper West (5.3%), Central (4.6%), and Bono (4.5%). Behind these figures are countless elderly persons who do not seek pity or sympathy but guaranteed dignity, care, structured support for the elderly, and an enforceable legal and social obligation.
As Ghana’s population ages, an important question confronts the nation: Are we truly ensuring that our elderly citizens age with dignity? The growing number of older persons in Ghana makes the need for a comprehensive legal framework urgent rather than optional. Such legislation should establish clear rights and obligations, provide mechanisms for protection against neglect and abuse, strengthen social security systems, and promote access to healthcare and community support services.
Equally important is the need to cultivate a culture that honours and values older persons. Families, communities, religious institutions, and policymakers all have roles to play in ensuring that aging is not accompanied by fear and indignity.
Comparative Perspectives: How Other Countries Support Ageing with Dignity
The shift in Ghana from the traditional extended family system toward a more nuclear family structure has intensified challenges associated with elderly care by weakening intergenerational household support. Economic pressures and urban migration have further contributed to the decline of the extended family system, which previously served as a primary source of care for older persons.
Consequently, many elderly individuals are increasingly left alone during the day, even when they reside within family households. Ghana continues to rely largely on fragmented policy measures and family-based care arrangements. In contrast, several countries have moved toward more structured, state-supported elderly care systems.
In the United Kingdom, elderly persons are referred by general practitioners to community-based centres where they engage in structured activities such as exercise classes, art therapy, gardening, music sessions, and peer interaction groups. The UK model known as “social prescribing” places strong emphasis on mental health and loneliness prevention.
In Japan, elderly persons regularly attend local community centres where they participate in physical exercise, cultural activities, games, and social interaction. These centres are often supported by municipal governments and integrated with the national health insurance system. Medical personnel routinely monitor elderly participants, ensuring early detection of health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and mobility challenges.
South Africa provides community-based care systems combined with social protection grants. Elderly persons receive monthly financial support from the state. In addition, many communities operate day-care centres and home-based care services supported by NGOs and local municipalities.
South Africa’s approach is significant because it combines income security with community care, ensuring that older persons are not only financially supported but also socially engaged.
For Ghana, these lessons are particularly relevant. They provide valuable insights that can guide the country in forging ahead with deliberate, well-planned interventions to address the challenges and opportunities associated with its aging population.
By drawing on proven experiences from other jurisdictions and adapting them to Ghana’s unique realities, aging can be approached not as a looming crisis but as an opportunity to build a society where older persons can live with dignity, purpose, and care.
Conclusion
Old age is not a destination reserved for a few unfortunate people. It is the road upon which every living person is travelling. The elderly you see today were once the vibrant youth who sacrificed sleepless nights, postponed their dreams, and endured countless hardships so that we could stand tall today. To abandon them in their twilight years is to forget the very roots that nourished us.
A society that does not value its older people denies its roots and endangers its future. Let us strive to enhance their capacity to support themselves for as long as possible and, when they cannot do so anymore, to care for them. –Nelson Mandela
The love, patience, and care we extend to them today are seeds we sow for the future. Let’s care for the elderly with love and compassion, for age is a journey we all hope to undertake. Caring for the aged is not an act of charity; it is an act of love, gratitude, and a solemn reminder that every life deserves to age with dignity, peace, and warmth. If aging is a blessing, then dignity in old age must become a right, not a privilege reserved for the fortunate few.
Recommendation
Protecting the dignity of older persons in Ghana requires more than sympathy and occasional acts of charity. It requires deliberate legal reforms, institutional support, and a revival of the culture of care and respect that once characterised Ghanaian society. Growing old should not become a sentence to loneliness, neglect, or indignity. The following measures are therefore recommended.
Ghana can establish Community Active Ageing Centres in every district to support the well-being, dignity, and social inclusion of older persons. These centres should be deliberately designed as safe, accessible, and friendly spaces where elderly persons can regularly gather, interact, and participate in structured activities with their peers.
Instead of aging in isolation at home, older persons would have the opportunity to engage in social interactions, fellowships, light physical exercises, cultural activities, storytelling, games, and other recreational programmes that promote mental stimulation and emotional well-being. Regular interaction with peers can significantly improve mental health outcomes and restore a sense of belonging and purpose.
Growing old brings unique health challenges. Such centres would also serve as platforms for emotional support and psychological care. Importantly, each centre should be staffed with trained medical personnel and social care workers, including nurses, counsellors, and community health officers.
These professionals would provide routine health monitoring such as blood pressure checks, basic medical screening, medication reminders, and referral services where necessary. This ensures that health challenges are identified early before they become severe or life-threatening.
A key feature of this model is that it should be affordable and sustainable, with older persons contributing a small subsidised fee where possible, while government and district assemblies provide the main financial and infrastructural support. The objective is not to commercialise aging but to ensure dignity through shared responsibility and sustainability.
Alternatively, it is recommended that, in the event of limited central government capacity to fully fund and implement the programme, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) should take proactive steps to sensitise their communities on the importance of the initiative and introduce appropriate local levies to support the implementation of this critical and beneficial project. Financial and material support for the project may be obtained through sponsorship from corporate organisations, religious bodies, and private organisations.
Many elderly persons suffer emotional, physical, and financial abuse at the hands of relatives and caregivers. Others lose their properties because they are weak or unable to defend themselves. Parliament should enact an Older Persons Act to provide clear rights and obligations relating to healthcare, social security, housing, long-term care, protection from abuse, and access to justice.
Such legislation should criminalise elder abuse and neglect and establish mechanisms for reporting and responding to cases involving vulnerable elderly persons. Public awareness campaigns should educate families and communities about the rights of older persons and the consequences of abuse and neglect.
Government and private health institutions should develop home-based care services in which trained personnel periodically visit older persons living alone or experiencing mobility challenges. An elderly person who falls in his or her home should not have to wait for hours before receiving assistance.
In addition, a dedicated transport service could be introduced to provide daily transportation for older persons with mobility difficulties to and from the proposed community centres at a modest fee. Such a system would enable them to participate in social, recreational, and wellness activities with their peers while reducing social isolation and loneliness. Together, these interventions would promote active aging, enhance the quality of life of older persons, and ensure that they remain connected to their communities.
Faith-based communities should ensure that those who spent decades serving God are not forgotten when age weakens their bodies. Some congregations have already taken commendable steps by organising exercise sessions and providing free medical screenings for older persons, including checks for blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and body mass index (BMI).
Such initiatives should be encouraged and expanded to promote healthy and dignified aging. Employers should organise programmes that prepare workers for life after retirement, emphasising financial planning and savings, social engagement, health management, and the importance of maintaining meaningful relationships.
Government alone cannot replace the family. Children must remember that the parents who now walk slowly once carried them in their arms. The hands that tremble today once fed them. The eyes that struggle to see today once stayed awake throughout the night whenever they were sick.
Visiting parents should not be reserved for funerals. A simple phone call, a short visit, a conversation, or spending time together may mean more to an elderly parent than expensive gifts. Many older persons do not complain because they need money. They complain because they miss companionship. Retirement should not become a transition from usefulness to loneliness.
The writer is a lawyer and a chartered accountant.
