Family help for the elderly in Africa: a comparative assessment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/sajg.v4i2.83Abstract
Many people argue that 'modernization' will deprive the African elderly of their former roles and support. This paper focusses on the positive side. It argues that help has always been limited by resources and that 'development' will limit resources even further. Many elderly Africans receive support from children and grandchildren- as do large numbers of elderly people in industrialized countries; a few elderly Africans are entirely dependent on this help. Most get less help than they need, and some are abandoned, for various reasons. But this has always been the case. Although there were many problems, the majority of children in the studies reported here gave financial, material or physical help to their parents, depending on their circumstances. While governments develop welfare programmes, it is useful to measure the variability of help received, of various types, by men and women, urban and rural residents, in different regions and countries. Such information can help governments and NGOs to target those who are most in need.References
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Adamchak, D.J., Wilson, A.O. Nyanguru,A.C. & Hampson,J. 1991. Elderly support and intergenerational transfer in Zimbabwe: an analysis by gender, marital status and place of residence. The Gerontologist, 31 (4): 505-13.
Anyakoha, E.U. 1992. The status of extended family system in Nigeria and its implications for the social security of the aged: a case study of lmo State. Contemporary Development Issues in Nigeria, Phase 2. Lagos: Social Science Council of Nigeria.
Apt, N. 1988. Aging in Africa. In: Gort, E. (Ed.) Aging in cross-cultural perspective. New York: Phelps-Stokes Fund, pp. 17-31.
Apt, N. & Katila, S. 1994. Gender and intergenerational support: the case of Ghanaian women. Southern African Journal of Gerontology, 3(2):23-29.
Asamoah, Y. & Nortey, D.N.A. 1987. Ghana. In: Dixon, J. (Ed.) Social welfare in Africa. London: Croom Helm, pp. 22-68.
Bamisaiye, A. & DiDomenico, C.M. 1983. The social situation of the elderly in Lagos, Nigeria. Report to Help the Aged, UK.
Bamisaiye, A., Akinware, M.A. & DiDomenico, C.M. 1994. Self sufficiency and support: old age among the Yoruba of Nigeria. Unpublished manuscript.
Barnes, S.T. 1986. Patrons and power: creating a political community in metropolitan Lagos. London: Manchester University Press for the International African Institute.
Bledsoe, C. & Isiugo-Abanihe, U.C. 1989. Strategies of child fosterage among Mende grannies in Sierra Leone. In: Lcstaeghe, R. (Ed.) African reproduction and social organization. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 442-74.
Brown, C.K. 1984. Improving the social protection of the aging population in Ghana. Legon: University of Ghana, Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research.
Caldwell, J.C. 1965. Extended family obligations and education: a study of an aspect of demographic transition amongst Ghanaian university students. Population Studies, 19: 183-99.
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Caldwell, J.C. 1969. African rural-urban migration: the movement to Ghana's towns. London: C. Hurst.
Caldwell, J.C. 1976. Fertility and the household economy in Nigeria. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 7: 193-253.
Coles, C. 1990. The older woman in Hausa society: power and authority in urban Nigeria. In: Sokolovsky, J. (Ed.) The cultural content of aging: worldwide perspectives. New York: Bergin & Garvey, pp. 57-81.
Date-Bah, E. 1986. Sex segregation and discrimination in Accra-Tema: causes and consequences. In: Anker, R. & Hein, C. (Eds) Sex inequalities in urban employment in the Third World. London: Macmillan, pp. 235-76.
Ekpenyong, S. & Peil, M. 1985. Old age in town: implications for housing and services. African Urban Studies, 21(Spring): 15-23.
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McKendrick, B. & Dudas, E. 1987. South Africa. In: Dixon, J. (Ed.) Social welfare in Africa. London: Croom Helm, pp. 184-217.
Milazi, D. 1988. A sociological investigation into the social support systems for the aged: a trend report on Bophuthatswana. South African Journal of Sociology, 19: 120-30.
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.
Peil, M. 1988. Going home: migration careers of southern Nigerians. International Migration Review, 22:563-85.
Peil, M. 1990. Sierra Leone's urban elderly. In: Jones, A. et al. (Eds) Sierra Leone Studies at Birmingham 1988. Birmingham: Centre of West African Studies, pp. 91-96.
Peil, M. 1991. Family support for the Nigerian elderly. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 22(1):85-100.
Peil, M. 1992. Family help for the elderly in Africa. BOLD. 2(3): 2-4.
Peil, M., Bamisaiye, A. & Ekpenyong, S. 1989. Health and physical support for the elderly in Nigeria. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 4: 89-106.
Peil, M. 1995a. Ghanaians abroad. African Affairs, 94: 345-67.
Peil, M. 1995b. Ghanaian education as seen from an Accra suburb. International Journal of Education and Development, 15(3): 289-305.
Peil, M. 1995c. The small town as a retirement centre. In: Baker, J. & Aina. T.A. (Eds) The migration experience in Africa. Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African Studies, pp. 149-66.
Rosenberg, H.G. 1990. Complaint discourse, aging and caregiving among the !Kung San of Botswana. In: Sokolovsky, J. (Ed.) The cultural content of aging: worldwide perspectives. New York: Bergin & Garvey, pp. 19-41.
UNDP. 1992. Human Development Report 1992. New York: Oxford University Press for the United Nations Development Programme. 31
Adamchak, D.J., Wilson, A.O. Nyanguru,A.C. & Hampson,J. 1991. Elderly support and intergenerational transfer in Zimbabwe: an analysis by gender, marital status and place of residence. The Gerontologist, 31 (4): 505-13.
Anyakoha, E.U. 1992. The status of extended family system in Nigeria and its implications for the social security of the aged: a case study of lmo State. Contemporary Development Issues in Nigeria, Phase 2. Lagos: Social Science Council of Nigeria.
Apt, N. 1988. Aging in Africa. In: Gort, E. (Ed.) Aging in cross-cultural perspective. New York: Phelps-Stokes Fund, pp. 17-31.
Apt, N. & Katila, S. 1994. Gender and intergenerational support: the case of Ghanaian women. Southern African Journal of Gerontology, 3(2):23-29.
Asamoah, Y. & Nortey, D.N.A. 1987. Ghana. In: Dixon, J. (Ed.) Social welfare in Africa. London: Croom Helm, pp. 22-68.
Bamisaiye, A. & DiDomenico, C.M. 1983. The social situation of the elderly in Lagos, Nigeria. Report to Help the Aged, UK.
Bamisaiye, A., Akinware, M.A. & DiDomenico, C.M. 1994. Self sufficiency and support: old age among the Yoruba of Nigeria. Unpublished manuscript.
Barnes, S.T. 1986. Patrons and power: creating a political community in metropolitan Lagos. London: Manchester University Press for the International African Institute.
Bledsoe, C. & Isiugo-Abanihe, U.C. 1989. Strategies of child fosterage among Mende grannies in Sierra Leone. In: Lcstaeghe, R. (Ed.) African reproduction and social organization. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 442-74.
Brown, C.K. 1984. Improving the social protection of the aging population in Ghana. Legon: University of Ghana, Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research.
Caldwell, J.C. 1965. Extended family obligations and education: a study of an aspect of demographic transition amongst Ghanaian university students. Population Studies, 19: 183-99.
Caldwell, J.C. 1967. Population prospects and policy. ln Birmingham, W. et a/. (Eds) A study of contemporary Ghana. Volume 2. Some aspects of social structure. London: George Allen & Unwin, pp. 167-200.
Caldwell, J.C. 1969. African rural-urban migration: the movement to Ghana's towns. London: C. Hurst.
Caldwell, J.C. 1976. Fertility and the household economy in Nigeria. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 7: 193-253.
Coles, C. 1990. The older woman in Hausa society: power and authority in urban Nigeria. In: Sokolovsky, J. (Ed.) The cultural content of aging: worldwide perspectives. New York: Bergin & Garvey, pp. 57-81.
Date-Bah, E. 1986. Sex segregation and discrimination in Accra-Tema: causes and consequences. In: Anker, R. & Hein, C. (Eds) Sex inequalities in urban employment in the Third World. London: Macmillan, pp. 235-76.
Ekpenyong, S. & Peil, M. 1985. Old age in town: implications for housing and services. African Urban Studies, 21(Spring): 15-23.
Fry, C.L. (Ed.) 1980. Aging in culture and society. New York: Bergin & Garvey. Hampson, J. 1982. Old age: a study of aging in Zimbabwe. Gweru: Mambo Press.
Iliffe, J. 1987. The African poor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ingstad, B. 1994. The grandmother and household viability in Botswana. In: Adepoju, A. & Oppong, C. (Eds) Gender, work and population in Sub-Saharan Africa. London: James Currey for the International Labour Office, pp. 209-25
Kaufert, P. 1976. Migration and communication: a study of migrant-villager relationships in a rural Ghanaian community. Ph.D. thesis. Birmingham: University of Birmingham.
McKendrick, B. & Dudas, E. 1987. South Africa. In: Dixon, J. (Ed.) Social welfare in Africa. London: Croom Helm, pp. 184-217.
Milazi, D. 1988. A sociological investigation into the social support systems for the aged: a trend report on Bophuthatswana. South African Journal of Sociology, 19: 120-30.
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.
Peil, M. 1988. Going home: migration careers of southern Nigerians. International Migration Review, 22:563-85.
Peil, M. 1990. Sierra Leone's urban elderly. In: Jones, A. et al. (Eds) Sierra Leone Studies at Birmingham 1988. Birmingham: Centre of West African Studies, pp. 91-96.
Peil, M. 1991. Family support for the Nigerian elderly. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 22(1):85-100.
Peil, M. 1992. Family help for the elderly in Africa. BOLD. 2(3): 2-4.
Peil, M., Bamisaiye, A. & Ekpenyong, S. 1989. Health and physical support for the elderly in Nigeria. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 4: 89-106.
Peil, M. 1995a. Ghanaians abroad. African Affairs, 94: 345-67.
Peil, M. 1995b. Ghanaian education as seen from an Accra suburb. International Journal of Education and Development, 15(3): 289-305.
Peil, M. 1995c. The small town as a retirement centre. In: Baker, J. & Aina. T.A. (Eds) The migration experience in Africa. Uppsala: Scandinavian Institute of African Studies, pp. 149-66.
Rosenberg, H.G. 1990. Complaint discourse, aging and caregiving among the !Kung San of Botswana. In: Sokolovsky, J. (Ed.) The cultural content of aging: worldwide perspectives. New York: Bergin & Garvey, pp. 19-41.
UNDP. 1992. Human Development Report 1992. New York: Oxford University Press for the United Nations Development Programme. 31
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1995-10-01
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