Who takes care of the Elderly in Ethiopia when Reciprocal Relationships Breakdown?

Abstract: In Ethiopia social welfare is found at an infancy stage where only people who have been working as public employees are guaranteed with a secured income upon retirement. On the other hand those who never had the opportunity of formal employment and those self-employed individuals do not have a guaranteed income where there is no provision by the state. By exploring care for the elderly in Ethiopia, primarily financial support, this paper sought to grant a better understanding of the challenges elderly people face and how they cope with these challenges when traditional patterns of care for the elderly fail. The findings of this study revealed that access to food, shelter; lack of education, health problems; loneliness and depression as the major problems facing older people. It also illuminated the role of reciprocal relationships in care for the elderly and the importance of family, the insufficient support rendered to the elderly by the Ethiopian government and the role non-governmental organizations can play in the mitigation of the problems of elderly people.