The Economic Security of the Elderly in Fiji

This paper examines the economic status of the elderly in Fiji in terms of their continued work patterns and coping strategies following retirement. The largest proportion of the working elderly are now engaged in the informal sector. While majority of the Fijian elderly are relying on their children or relatives for financial and physical support, most of the Indo Fijian elderly are living alone or with spouse. Most of the elderly have lost their decision making power and it is in the hands of their children making them more vulnerable. Using primary data from 800 randomly selected participants who are 55 years and above from the urban and rural areas of Fiji, a multivariate logistic regression model was employed to determine the magnitude of the effects of demographic, social and environmental factors on the work status of the elderly in Fiji. The results of the empirical analysis on the economic security of the elderly in Fiji are presented in this paper.