Old age poverty in developing countries: Contributions and dependence in later life

The paper aims to provide a perspective on old age poverty. It reviews the available evidence on the incidence of old age poverty emerging from survey data analysis and from qualitative participatory studies, which indicate that old age poverty is a significant issue in developing countries. It also consideres other components of poverty in later life: access to markets, basic services, and social networks. The paper argues that understanding poverty in later life, and developing appropriate policy, requires acknowledging the contribution of older people to their households, communities, and the development process. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.