This article examines the social needs of the elderly in Botswana and how they
are addressed at the different levels. It seeks to identify available national, regional
and international strategies and policies promoting elderly care and efforts of
incorporation in the development of the country. These policies and strategies
were assessed to determine how they promote the involvement of the elderly at
the community and national level. The literature shows that the numbers of the
elderly in the country will increase to over 250,000 by 2011 and characterised by
more women than men. This population is and will be confined to rural areas
where livelihoods are predominantly subsistence agriculture and burdened with
care for orphans. Besides, they are no longer considered productive citizens and
their contribution to the economic development is relegated to the pit. It is quite
recent that the Governments is becoming conscious of their social needs and
increasingly trying to re-instill respect and care for the elderly in the society.
Therefore, it is intention of this paper to assess the demographic structure of the
elderly population, the impact of modernization of the family support system, and
suggest how the elderly could continue to contribute meaningfully in the economic
development of the nation and community