scholarly journals Population Ageing in Ghana: Research Gaps and the Way Forward

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuks J. Mba

This paper attempts to highlight research gaps and what should be done concerning population ageing in the Ghanaian context. The proportion of the elderly increased from 4.9 percent in 1960 to 7.2 percent in 2000, while the number rose from 0.3 million to 1.4 million over the same period (an increase of 367 percent). Projection results indicate that by 2050, the aged population will account for 14.1 percent of the total population. Very little is known about the living arrangements and health profile of Ghana's older population. With increasing urbanization and modernization, it is important to know something about intergenerational transfers from adult children to their elderly parents, and characterize the elderly persons' food security strategies. Training of researchers will be important in terms of strengthening Ghana's capacity to monitor trends, as well as to conduct research and explore new directions in population ageing research.

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Jong Chen ◽  
Ching-Yi Chen

This article investigates living arrangement preferences of elderly people in Taiwan, including coresidence with family (their children or spouse), coresidence with spouse only, living alone, and living in an institution. The authors consider the effects of three factors: the elderly persons’ health situation, their family resources, and their social participation, such as community workshops or political activities. Accordingly, the authors propose empirical logit models based on the well-developed discrete choice theory. Empirical results reveal that (1) elderly people with higher socioeconomic status, prefer either independent living arrangements or coresidence with their children, (2) elderly people with more family resources, such as large family size, prefer to coreside with their children, and (3) elderly people with adequate social support and/or contact networks prefer independent living arrangements.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Oladeji

This study examined family care, social services, and living arrangements factors influencing the psychosocial well-being of the elderly from selected households in Ibadan, Nigeria. The participants for the study consisted of 280 elderly persons randomly drawn from selected households in five local government areas of Ibadan metropolis. A descriptive survey design was employed in collecting the data from the respondents. Data collected were analyzed using chi-square () statistics. Results obtained indicated that significant relationships existed between family care (, df = 12, ), social services (, df = 12, ), and living arrangements (, df = 6, ) and psychosocial well-being of elderly. The results implicate the need for the framework on the complex system of the elderly services. These areas of service include economic services, attitudes toward aging, roles played by the elderly, and health care services.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-204
Author(s):  
Wen-Shan Yang ◽  
Yao-Chi Shih ◽  
Yang-Tzu Li

Purpose Although coresidence with children when one becomes old is an ideal in Chinese society, the drastic socio-economic development in Taiwan has brought some fundamental changes to living arrangements of the elderly population. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between family living arrangements and elderly health in Taiwan, given the secular trend of more elderly persons choosing to live with their spouse or to live independently. Design/methodology/approach The authors utilized panel data from the “1989 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan” with follow-ups up to 2007 to examine how living arrangements of the elderly affect the risk of mortality using discrete-time hazard models. The authors stratified the analyses by the elderly’s preference to coreside with children, and examined whether the effects of living arrangement varied by age, controlling for sociodemographics, health status, health behaviors, and social relationships observed at the baseline. Findings The authors found that both the associations of living arrangements and coresidence preference with that mortality risk were largely weakened when controlling for other variables. Only among respondents expressing preference for coresidence were living arrangements associated with mortality risks, and these effects increased with age. For those who did not intend to live with children, the authors found no evidence suggesting living arrangements were associated with mortality risks. The dynamics of living arrangements among the elderly and elderly care policies in Taiwan are discussed for further research. Originality/value To the authors knowledge, no previous research has examined living arrangements and mortality risks with respect to coresidence preference.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Van Solinge

ABSTRACTIn 1990, approximately one out of every three elderly persons in the Netherlands was living alone. This proportion has almost doubled since 1960. This sharp increase in living alone among the elderly has attracted attention in political circles and among policy makers. An understanding of living arrangements of elderly people is critical for a determination of the likely need for public care, such as home help and district nursing, and institutional care. Elderly persons who live alone require public care services sooner, whether or not as supplement to informal care from persons outside the household. This article examines the living arrangements of the elderly in the Netherlands. Special attention is paid to the household structure of unmarried and no longer married elderly persons, and why so many of then live alone. The data used in this study are taken from the 1989/90 Housing Demand Survey (WBO), which is a large-scale sample survey containing approximately 50,000 Dutch households.


Author(s):  
Andrew V. Wister

ABSTRACTThis research explores factors which differentiate non-institutionalized elderly persons living alone, living only with a spouse, and living with other persons (with or without a spouse present). Special attention is devoted to the measurement and investigation of several social norms and personal preferences. These factors are organized in terms of a decision-making framework developed from micro-economic and demographic theory. Choice of a living arrangement is seen as the product of underlying norms and preferences, a set of socio-demographic factors, and constraints on choice. This research relies on data from 454 personal interviews drawn from a stratified random sample of persons 65 and over living in private households in London, Ontario, Canada.Data analysis indicates that the decision of whom to live with is complex and is influenced by a large group of variables. However, the most important factors are the social norms and personal preferences of the respondents. Of these, a preference for independence and privacy surfaces as the strongest predictor of living arrangements. Being able to do what one wants without outside interference in conjunction with a private living style tends to be viewed by older persons as very important household ‘goods’. The expected separateness of the elderly, age segregation or differentiation, and kinship obligations and ties were found to be influential social norms affecting living arrangement decisions. The analysis also suggests that the constraining effects of domestic competence, physical strength and mobility, and availability of kin for co-residence are also important. In addition, several socio-demographic variables including age, sex and ethnicity arise as significant predictors of living arrangements.


Author(s):  
Urszula Bartnikowska ◽  
Katarzyna Ćwirynkało

Considering the increased demographic aging and system changes in the welfare system in Poland, home care became one of the most important forms of taking care of disabled or elderly persons. Although the country is rooted in the idea of a nanny state, based on large institutions and providing minimum income, for a long time now family has been considered as the basic provider of informal care to the elderly. The aim of the present study is to give some insight into the resources of adult children providing care to their elderly, disabled parents. In order to acquire a comprehensive perception of the phenomenon, the authors chose an interpretavist paradigm and applied a phenomenographic method. 21 participants, aged 41–65, who were caregivers of their parents, took part in semi-structured interviews. Two main research problems were formulated: (1) How do the participants perceive their resources as caregivers of their elderly, disabled parents? (2) What kind of support related to the care of their parents do they consider essential? Results: The participants distinguish two main kinds of resources: internal (e.g. values, passions, feelings for parents, economic situation) and external (e.g. parents, family, friends, professionals, medical equipment and centers they have access to). The narratives of the participants also indicate a number of needs they experience. Implications for practice are discussed.


1996 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 571-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Halpern ◽  
Mary Ann Shroder ◽  
Maryalice Citera

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of adult children's perceptions of their elderly parents' concerns. Factors associated with moderate involvement between the elderly parent and adult child were predicted to lead to the greatest accuracy. 48 pairs of elderly parents and adult children filled out questionnaires regarding the parents' concerns about seven areas of functioning. Analysis showed that concerns about health and emotional support were rated as most important by elderly parents. Adult children accurately perceived these concerns to be most important to their parents. For health concerns, opposite-sex pairs of parents and children showed greatest agreement. For emotional support concerns, however, both sons and daughters were more accurate predicting their fathers' concerns than their mothers'. Middle-born children tended to be more accurate in their predictions of parents' concerns than oldest or youngest children. Living arrangements also influenced accuracy. In predicting the concerns of elderly parents, adult children were most accurate for parents living in retirement communities, moderately accurate for parents living independently, and least accurate for parents living in the adult child's home. Further, children sharing a household with an adult parent tended to overestimate their parents' concerns on some issues. The results were consistent with the moderate involvement hypothesis. The implications of these results and suggestions for research are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1015-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip A. Cantu ◽  
Jacqueline L. Angel

Objective: In this article, we examine the demographics of living arrangements and household headship status among Mexican-origin individuals aged 85+ years. Method: Data come from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE) caregiver and respondent surveys. Results: Finances of the elderly individual and their caregiver inform living arrangement decisions. Physical and cognitive disability differentiate among living arrangements: The most mentally and physically impaired are most likely to live with others and less likely to be the head of the household. Discussion: Motivations for living with others are clearly more complex than simple filial piety considerations might hold. Extended living arrangements provide concrete financial and instrumental benefits for both elderly parents and their adult child caregiver. Future research should address the question of the capacity of the Mexican American family to provide care for elderly parents in the face of major demographic and social changes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
Arianna Njeri

Purpose: Mobile technologies provide an affordable and easily accessible technology that lecturers can use effectively to assist students with their studies. The general objective of the study was to evaluate socio-economic factors affecting food security among the elderly. Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps. Findings: From the study findings, it is concluded that the households of the elderly persons are faced with abject poverty due to the household structures they live in, which lack food storage facilities hindering food utilization. The elderly persons are faced with health challenges that hinder them from accessing adequate and appropriate foods. They also are not able to use the available types of food due to the ailments they suffer. Elderly persons are faced by various levels of food insecurity due to the deteriorating strength and vulnerability that comes handy with aging. Farming practices by elderly persons depict that they mainly use manual labour limiting their food production. The elderly persons food utilization that entails enlightenment on food production based on food storage, feeding habits and farming methods have lowered food production thus food insecurity. Recommendations: The study recommended that there should be established programmes that provide homes for the aged to cater for the elderly persons who live alone, sickly and too aged to undertake their daily domestic duties. In addition feeding programmers in households with elderly persons should be formulated and implemented. Relatives should be encouraged to follow up on the wellbeing of their aging parents and organize to employ care givers to keep up domestic duties that may be making it difficult for the elderly to access food. The ministry of special programmes should consider provision of relief food to households with the elderly persons who suffer severe food insecurity. They should also collaborate with the ministry of education in ensuring children who are under the care of aged people have a school feeding programme to provide at least a meal for them at school.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natália Calais Vaz de Melo ◽  
Karla Maria Damiano Teixeira ◽  
Thaís Lopes Barbosa ◽  
Álvaro José Altamirano Montoya ◽  
Mirely Bonin Silveira

Introduction Increased longevity and, consequently, a rise in the number of elderly persons in Brazil, has an effect on different sectors, especially family living arrangements. Objective To analyze the socioeconomic profile of the family living arrangements of the elderly using PNAD micro-data (2009). Method A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study using PNAD micro-data (2009) was performed. The elderly family living arrangements that constituted households in Brazil were analyzed. Results: The results indicated that the most representative arrangement was a couple who lived with their children and other relatives, followed by single parent units and couples with children. The head of household in most of the arrangements featuring a couple with children and other relatives was a man, while in one-person, single parent and mixed arrangements the head of household was more likely to be a woman. Conclusion Decisions regarding the type of family arrangement are attributed not only to the elderly individual and his or her family, but are the result of historical, sociocultural, political, economic and demographic factors, which may positive or negatively interfere with the quality of life of elderly persons.


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