Housing and the elderly in Zimbabwe
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/sajg.v2i1.17Abstract
This paper is based on a study of people aged 60 years and older living in Harare and Mutare in Zimbabwe, and villages located within 50 km of these cities. The main areas studied were home ownership, household composition, number of rooms in a house, occupancy ratio, services, building materials. and the condition of the houses. The study showed that the majority of the respondents who lived in rural areas owned their houses. However most respondents who lived in urban areas were either tenants or people of no fixed abode. The majority of the respondents were heads of households; the majority of the household heads were widows. Occupancy ratio, as expected, was higher in urban than in rural areas. More houses in urban areas than in rural areas were built from “modern" materials, because of standards imposed by urban authorities. Houses in urban areas were better serviced -for example. they had electricity and piped water - and were of a better quality than those in rural areas. In general the respondents were satisfied with their living arrangements. However a surprising finding was that some respondents in the urban areas where houses were considered to be of poor quality and overcrowding was common, were very satisfied with their living arrangements. The policy implications of the findings are discussed briefly.References
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Adamchak, D., Nyanguru. A.C.. Hampson, J. & Wilson, A. 1990. Ageing and support systems: intergenerational transfer in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at the XIIth World Congress of Sociology. Madrid, Spain, July 9-13.
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Hampson, J. 1990. Marginalisation and rural elderly: a Shona case study. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 5(2): 5-23.
Muchena, O. 1978. African aged in town. Harare: School of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1987. Residential care for the destitute elderly: a comparative study of two institutions in Zimbabwe. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 2: 345-57.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1990. The quality of life of elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 5(2): 25-43.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991a. Old age in Zimbabwe: yesterday, today and tomorrow. Care of the elderly in Zimbabwe. In: Hall, N. (Ed.) Proceeding s of a Workshop held at the University of Zimbabwe, Harare, September 23 - October 2, 1991.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991b. The health problems of elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 6(2): 71-89.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991c. The implications of the economic structural adjustment programme on the elderly in Zimbabwe. In: Hall, N. (Ed.) Proceedings of a Workshop held at the University of Zimbabwe, Harare, September 23 - October 2, 1991, pp. 44-48.
Nyanguru, A.C, 1993a. A home that is its community. In: Tout, K, (Ed.) Elderly care: a world perspective. London: Chapman & Hall. (In press)
Nyanguru, A.C. 1993b. Social services for the elderly in Zimbabwe. In: Kosberg. J. (Ed.) International hand hook of services for the elderly. Westport: Greenwood Press.
Nyanguru, A.C. & Pelt, M. 1991, Zimbabwe since independence: an assessment. African Affairs, 90: 607-20.
Pathak, J. D, 1975. Elderly women, their health and disorders. Bombay: Bombay Medical Research Centre.
Patel, D. 1988. Urbanisation and development in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 3(2): 17-31.
Sinclair, I. 1990. The kaleidoscope of care. London: HMSO.
Sinclair, I, & Williams,). 1990. Demography, health and personal resources. In: Sinclair, I. (Ed.) The kaleidoscope of care. London: HMSO, pp. 23-42.
Tout, K. 1989. Ageing in developing countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Victor, C.R. 1987. Old-age in modern society. Beckenham: Croom Helm.
Wagner. G. 1988. Old people’s health and experiences of caring services: account from rural communities in North Wales. Occasional paper 4. Liverpool: Institute of Human Aging. Liverpool University.
Wilson, A., Nyanguru, A.C.. Hampson, J. & Adamchak, D. 1990. A study of wellbeing in three elderly communities in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at a Workshop on Geriatric Care of the Elderly, Medical School, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, June 13-15.
Age Concern. 1980. Profiles of the elderly. Their housing. Volume 3. Mitcham: Age Concern.
Adamchak, D., Nyanguru. A.C.. Hampson, J. & Wilson, A. 1990. Ageing and support systems: intergenerational transfer in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at the XIIth World Congress of Sociology. Madrid, Spain, July 9-13.
Andrews, G., Esterman, A.. Braunacvk-Mayer, A. & Rungie, C. 1986. Aging in the Western Pacific. Manila: WHO Regional Office.
Braithwaite, F.S. 1986. The elderly in Barbados. In: Tout, K.(Ed.) Ageing in developing countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 109-14.
Ferreira, M„ Møller, V., Prinsloo, F.R. & Gillis, L.S, 1992. Multidimensional survey of elderly South Africans. 1990-91: key findings. Cape Town: HSRC/UCT Centre for Gerontology.
Frances, S.E. 1987. Roles, programmes and projects for the elderly in the Caribbean which combat loneliness and isolation. Kingston: University of the West Indies.
Gray, J.A.M. 1976. Housing for elderly people: heaven, haven and ghetto. Housing Monthly, 12: 12-13.
Griffiths, R. 1988. Community care: agenda for action. London: HMSO.
Hampson, J. 1982. Old age. A study of aging in Zimbabwe. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Hampson, J. 1990. Marginalisation and rural elderly: a Shona case study. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 5(2): 5-23.
Muchena, O. 1978. African aged in town. Harare: School of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1987. Residential care for the destitute elderly: a comparative study of two institutions in Zimbabwe. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 2: 345-57.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1990. The quality of life of elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 5(2): 25-43.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991a. Old age in Zimbabwe: yesterday, today and tomorrow. Care of the elderly in Zimbabwe. In: Hall, N. (Ed.) Proceeding s of a Workshop held at the University of Zimbabwe, Harare, September 23 - October 2, 1991.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991b. The health problems of elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 6(2): 71-89.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991c. The implications of the economic structural adjustment programme on the elderly in Zimbabwe. In: Hall, N. (Ed.) Proceedings of a Workshop held at the University of Zimbabwe, Harare, September 23 - October 2, 1991, pp. 44-48.
Nyanguru, A.C, 1993a. A home that is its community. In: Tout, K, (Ed.) Elderly care: a world perspective. London: Chapman & Hall. (In press)
Nyanguru, A.C. 1993b. Social services for the elderly in Zimbabwe. In: Kosberg. J. (Ed.) International hand hook of services for the elderly. Westport: Greenwood Press.
Nyanguru, A.C. & Pelt, M. 1991, Zimbabwe since independence: an assessment. African Affairs, 90: 607-20.
Pathak, J. D, 1975. Elderly women, their health and disorders. Bombay: Bombay Medical Research Centre.
Patel, D. 1988. Urbanisation and development in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 3(2): 17-31.
Sinclair, I. 1990. The kaleidoscope of care. London: HMSO.
Sinclair, I, & Williams,). 1990. Demography, health and personal resources. In: Sinclair, I. (Ed.) The kaleidoscope of care. London: HMSO, pp. 23-42.
Tout, K. 1989. Ageing in developing countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Victor, C.R. 1987. Old-age in modern society. Beckenham: Croom Helm.
Wagner. G. 1988. Old people’s health and experiences of caring services: account from rural communities in North Wales. Occasional paper 4. Liverpool: Institute of Human Aging. Liverpool University.
Wilson, A., Nyanguru, A.C.. Hampson, J. & Adamchak, D. 1990. A study of wellbeing in three elderly communities in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at a Workshop on Geriatric Care of the Elderly, Medical School, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, June 13-15.
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1993-04-01
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