Family support for the elderly in Zimbabwe
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/sajg.v3i1.33Abstract
This article reports on a study of family support for the elderly in Zimbabwe, conducted among a sample of 150 persons aged 55 years and older. The sample was drawn in an urban area (Harare) and a commercial farming area (Bromley-Ruwa), and among residents of the communal lands of Chikwaka and Goromonzi. The majority of the respondents were married; some of the men were polygamous. Six per cent of the respondents were childless. Where the respondents had children, a large number of the children were economically inactive. Many of the children were unable to support their parents because of their own family obligations. The majority of the children neither lived with their parents nor visited them regularly. The elderly parents received few remittances from their children, even those who were employed. Some respondents were supporting their children. Policy options for encouraging family support of the elderly are suggested.References
Abrams, M. 1980. Beyond three score and ten: a second report on a survey on the elderly. London: Age Concern.
Bennet, R. 1973. Living conditions and everyday needs of the elderly with particular reference to social integration International Journal of Human Development, 4: 179-98.
Binstock, R.H., Chow, W-S., & Schultz, J.H. (Eds) 1982. International perspectives on aging population and policy challenges. UNFPA Policy Development Studies No.7. New York: United Nations.
Bledsoe, C. 1980. Women and marriage in Kpelle society. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Bourdillon, M. 1976. The Shona peoples. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Braithwaite, E.S. (Ed.) 1986. The elderly in Barbados. Barbados: Caribbean Research and Publications.
Brand, V. 1986. One dollar workplaces: a study of informal sector activities in Magaba, Harare. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 1(2): 53-74.
Burman, S. 1988. Law vs reality: the interaction of community obligations to and by the black elderly in South Africa. Paper presented at the World Conference of the International Society on Family Law. Tokyo, Japan.
Chavunduka, G. 1970. Social change in a Shona world. Harare: University of Zimbabwe. Clarke. D. 1977. Economics of African old age subsistence in Rhodesia. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Colson, E. & Scudder, T. 1981. Old age in Gwembe District. Zambia. In: Amoss, P.T. & Harrell, S. (Eds) Other ways of growing old: anthropological perspectives. Stanford. CA: Stanford University Press. pp. 125-53.
Ekpenyong, S., Oyeneye, O. & Peil, M. 1987. Health problems of elderly Nigerians. Journal of Social Science and Medicine. 24: 885-88.
Folta, J. & Deck, E. 1987. Black widows in rural Zimbabwe. Journal of Cross-Cultura1Gerontology, 2(4): 321-42.
Hampson, J. 1982. Old age: a study of aging in Zimbabwe. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Hampson, J. 1984. Rural communities of elderly in Zimbabwe: towards a quality of life survey. Unpublished. Harare: School of Social Work. University of Zimbabwe.
Hampson, J. 1985. Elderly people and social welfare in Zimbabwe. Ageing and Society. 5: 39-67.
Hampson, J. 1990. Marginalization and rural elderly: a Shona case study. Journal of Social Development. 5(2): 5-23.
Ibrahim, M. 1985. Tradition and modern development in Bangladesh society. Dhaka: Bangladesh Association for the Aged.
Lomnitz, A. 1977. Networks and marginality: life in a Mexican shantytown. London: Academic Press.
Maqashalla, T. 1986. Support systems among African widows. Paper presented at the School of Social Work. University of Cape Town, 16 October.
Muchena, O. 1978. African aged in town. Unpublished. 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(4): 345-58.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1990. The quality of life of the elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 5(2): 25-43.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991. The health problems of the elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 6(2): 71 -89.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1993a. A home that is its community. In: Tout. K. (Ed.) Elderly care: a world perspective. London: Chapman & Hall. pp. 47-52.
Nyanguru, A.C. & Peil, M. 1993. Housing and the elderly in Zimbabwe. Southern African Journal of Gerontology. 2(1): 3-9.
Oberai, A.S. & Singh, H.K. 1983. Causes and consequences of internal migration: a study in the Indian Punjab. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Pathak, J.D. 1985. Elderly women, their health and disorders. Bombay: Bombay Medical Research Centre.
Peil, M. 1988. Family support for the Nigerian elderly. Paper presented at the American Sociological Association conference on the Social Construction of Youth, Maturation and Aging.
Rwezaura, B.A. 1989. Changing community obligations to the elderly in contemporary Africa. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 4: 1, 5-24.
Sagomba, F. 1987. Activities of the aged in the informal sector and the relevance of the disengagement theory. Unpublished. Harare: School of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe.
Simmons, L. 1960. Aging in pre-industrial societies. In: Tibbits. C. (Ed.) Handbook of social gerontology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Tarira, J. 1983. Helping the aged in their rural environment. B.A. (SW) dissertation. Harare: School of Social Work. University of Zimbabwe.
Tout. K. 1989. Ageing developing: countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Von Nidda, R. 1985. Need we worry about the elderly in Zimbabwe? Social Change and Development. 1 (11): 7-9.
Wenger, G.C. 1984. The supportive network: coping with old age. London: George Allen & Unwin.
Wilson, A.O., Adamchak, D.J., Nyanguru, A.C. & Hampson, J. 1991. The study of well-being of elderly people in three communities in Zimbabwe. Age and Ageing. 20: 275-79.
Bennet, R. 1973. Living conditions and everyday needs of the elderly with particular reference to social integration International Journal of Human Development, 4: 179-98.
Binstock, R.H., Chow, W-S., & Schultz, J.H. (Eds) 1982. International perspectives on aging population and policy challenges. UNFPA Policy Development Studies No.7. New York: United Nations.
Bledsoe, C. 1980. Women and marriage in Kpelle society. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Bourdillon, M. 1976. The Shona peoples. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Braithwaite, E.S. (Ed.) 1986. The elderly in Barbados. Barbados: Caribbean Research and Publications.
Brand, V. 1986. One dollar workplaces: a study of informal sector activities in Magaba, Harare. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 1(2): 53-74.
Burman, S. 1988. Law vs reality: the interaction of community obligations to and by the black elderly in South Africa. Paper presented at the World Conference of the International Society on Family Law. Tokyo, Japan.
Chavunduka, G. 1970. Social change in a Shona world. Harare: University of Zimbabwe. Clarke. D. 1977. Economics of African old age subsistence in Rhodesia. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Colson, E. & Scudder, T. 1981. Old age in Gwembe District. Zambia. In: Amoss, P.T. & Harrell, S. (Eds) Other ways of growing old: anthropological perspectives. Stanford. CA: Stanford University Press. pp. 125-53.
Ekpenyong, S., Oyeneye, O. & Peil, M. 1987. Health problems of elderly Nigerians. Journal of Social Science and Medicine. 24: 885-88.
Folta, J. & Deck, E. 1987. Black widows in rural Zimbabwe. Journal of Cross-Cultura1Gerontology, 2(4): 321-42.
Hampson, J. 1982. Old age: a study of aging in Zimbabwe. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Hampson, J. 1984. Rural communities of elderly in Zimbabwe: towards a quality of life survey. Unpublished. Harare: School of Social Work. University of Zimbabwe.
Hampson, J. 1985. Elderly people and social welfare in Zimbabwe. Ageing and Society. 5: 39-67.
Hampson, J. 1990. Marginalization and rural elderly: a Shona case study. Journal of Social Development. 5(2): 5-23.
Ibrahim, M. 1985. Tradition and modern development in Bangladesh society. Dhaka: Bangladesh Association for the Aged.
Lomnitz, A. 1977. Networks and marginality: life in a Mexican shantytown. London: Academic Press.
Maqashalla, T. 1986. Support systems among African widows. Paper presented at the School of Social Work. University of Cape Town, 16 October.
Muchena, O. 1978. African aged in town. Unpublished. 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(4): 345-58.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1990. The quality of life of the elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 5(2): 25-43.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1991. The health problems of the elderly living in institutions and homes in Zimbabwe. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 6(2): 71 -89.
Nyanguru, A.C. 1993a. A home that is its community. In: Tout. K. (Ed.) Elderly care: a world perspective. London: Chapman & Hall. pp. 47-52.
Nyanguru, A.C. & Peil, M. 1993. Housing and the elderly in Zimbabwe. Southern African Journal of Gerontology. 2(1): 3-9.
Oberai, A.S. & Singh, H.K. 1983. Causes and consequences of internal migration: a study in the Indian Punjab. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Pathak, J.D. 1985. Elderly women, their health and disorders. Bombay: Bombay Medical Research Centre.
Peil, M. 1988. Family support for the Nigerian elderly. Paper presented at the American Sociological Association conference on the Social Construction of Youth, Maturation and Aging.
Rwezaura, B.A. 1989. Changing community obligations to the elderly in contemporary Africa. Journal of Social Development in Africa. 4: 1, 5-24.
Sagomba, F. 1987. Activities of the aged in the informal sector and the relevance of the disengagement theory. Unpublished. Harare: School of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe.
Simmons, L. 1960. Aging in pre-industrial societies. In: Tibbits. C. (Ed.) Handbook of social gerontology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Tarira, J. 1983. Helping the aged in their rural environment. B.A. (SW) dissertation. Harare: School of Social Work. University of Zimbabwe.
Tout. K. 1989. Ageing developing: countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Von Nidda, R. 1985. Need we worry about the elderly in Zimbabwe? Social Change and Development. 1 (11): 7-9.
Wenger, G.C. 1984. The supportive network: coping with old age. London: George Allen & Unwin.
Wilson, A.O., Adamchak, D.J., Nyanguru, A.C. & Hampson, J. 1991. The study of well-being of elderly people in three communities in Zimbabwe. Age and Ageing. 20: 275-79.
Downloads
Published
1994-04-01
Issue
Section
Articles
