Caregiving on the edge: the situation of family caregivers to older persons in Botswana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/sajg.v9i1.191Abstract
Little is known about the long-term care of older persons in Africa. In Botswana it is assumed that families care for their elderly relatives. Yet, the African family is undergoing change, due to more women entering the labour force and rural-to-urban migration of young adults in search of better employment opportunities. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of family caregivers to older persons in Botswana. A qualitative, grounded-theory methodology was used to interview 24 participants who were caring for an older person. The findings indicate that the caregivers are "living on the edge, as they struggle to meet basic survival needs. Implications of the findings for nursing practice, research and policy that address the plight of the caregivers are discussed.References
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Ingstadt, B Braun, F., Sandberg, E. & Tlou, S. 1991. Care for the elderly - care by the elderly: the role of elderly women in a changing Tswana society. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. 7(4): 379-398.
Maslow, A. 1954. Motivation and personality. New York: Harper & Row.
Montgomery, R .J.V. & Borgatta, F.E. 1989. The effect of alternative support strategies on family caregiving. The Gerontologist, 29: 457-464.
Montgomery, R.J.V. & Prothero, J. (Eds) 1986. Developing respite services for the elderly. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
PeiI, M., Bamtsaiye, A. & Ekpenyong, S. 1989. Health and physical support for the elderly in Nigeria. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 4: 89-106.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. 1990. Basics of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Tlou, S.D. 1998. Experiences of older women caring for people living with AIDS. Paper presented at the International Black Nurses Conference, Gaborone, Botswana, July 26-30. 1
Ackermann, L. & Matebesi, Z. 1998. Experiences of co-resident carers of elderly persons in Manguang (Bloemfontein). Southern African Journal of Gerontology. 7(1): 21-25.
Adamchak. J.D.. Wilson, O., Nyanguru, A. & Hampson, J. 1991. Elderly support and intergenerationa! transfer in Zimbabwe: an analysis by gender, marital status, and place of residence. The Gerontologist, 31: 505-513.
Apt, N.A. 1993. Care of the elderly in Africa: an emerging issue. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 8: 301-312.
Apt, N.A. 1996. Coping with old age in a changing Africa: social change and the elderly Ghanaian. Ashgate: Avebury.
Apt, N.A. & Kali la, S. 1994. Gender and intergenerationa I support: the case of Ghanaian women. Southern African Journal of Gerontology, 3(2): 23-29.
Biegel, E.D. & Blum, A. 1990. Introduction: (n: Biegel, D.E. & Blum, A. (Eds) Aging and caregiving: theory, research and policy. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, pp. 9-23.
Brody, E.M. 1990. Women in the middle: their parent-care years. New York: Springer. Crossman, L., London, C. & Barry, C. 1981. Older women caring for disabled spouses: a model for supportive services. The Gerontologist, 21: 464-470.
Catteil, G.M. 1990. Models of old age among the Sarnia of Kenya: family support of the elderly. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 5(4): 375-394.
Glaser, B. & Strauss, A. 1967. The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine.
Guillette, A.E. 1990. Socio-economic change and cultural continuity in the lives of the older Tswana, Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. 5: 191-204.
Hooyman, N.R. 1992. Social policy and gender inequities in caregiving. In: Dwyer, J.W. & Coward, R.T. (Eds) Gender, families and elder care. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, pp. 181 -201.
Hope, R.K 1997. African political economy: contemporary issues in development. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
Horowitz, A. 1985, Sons and daughters as caregivers to older parents: differences in role performance and consequences. The Gerontologist, 25: 612-617.
Ingstadt, B Braun, F., Sandberg, E. & Tlou, S. 1991. Care for the elderly - care by the elderly: the role of elderly women in a changing Tswana society. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. 7(4): 379-398.
Maslow, A. 1954. Motivation and personality. New York: Harper & Row.
Montgomery, R .J.V. & Borgatta, F.E. 1989. The effect of alternative support strategies on family caregiving. The Gerontologist, 29: 457-464.
Montgomery, R.J.V. & Prothero, J. (Eds) 1986. Developing respite services for the elderly. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
PeiI, M., Bamtsaiye, A. & Ekpenyong, S. 1989. Health and physical support for the elderly in Nigeria. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 4: 89-106.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. 1990. Basics of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Tlou, S.D. 1998. Experiences of older women caring for people living with AIDS. Paper presented at the International Black Nurses Conference, Gaborone, Botswana, July 26-30. 1
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2000-04-01
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