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“They Do Not Care about Us Anymore”: Understanding the Situation of Older People in Ghana

Author

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  • Joseph Asumah Braimah

    (Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada)

  • Mark W. Rosenberg

    (Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada)

Abstract

While existing research acknowledges copious challenges faced by older adults (people aged 60 and over) in Ghana and most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, they fail to situate the lived experiences of this vulnerable group within the broader context of health geography and public health. This paper draws insights from ecological systems theory and the “geographies of older people” literature to examine the lived experiences of older people in Ghana. Data for the study were gathered using interviews (42) and sharing circles (10). Our findings reveal a complex mix of experiences consistent with the different levels of the environment. Dominant themes include access to social support, functional impairment and poor health status, social status, poor access to water and sanitation services, food insecurity, economic insecurity, and caregiving burden. These findings support the wide-held notion that the experiences of older people are complex and produced by the interplay of both individual and structural factors. Our findings demonstrate that sociocultural, economic, political, and climatic factors are important consideration in promoting elderly wellbeing and quality of life in Ghana.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph Asumah Braimah & Mark W. Rosenberg, 2021. "“They Do Not Care about Us Anymore”: Understanding the Situation of Older People in Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2337-:d:507184
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. United Nations, 2016. "The Sustainable Development Goals 2016," Working Papers id:11456, eSocialSciences.
    2. Teerawichitchainan, Bussarawan & Pothisiri, Wiraporn & Long, Giang Thanh, 2015. "How do living arrangements and intergenerational support matter for psychological health of elderly parents? Evidence from Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 136, pages 106-116.
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Amoak & Joseph Asumah Braimah & Williams Agyemang-Duah & Nancy Osei Kye & Florence Wullo Anfaara & Yujiro Sano & Roger Antabe, 2022. "Understanding the Link between Household Food Insecurity and Self-Rated Oral Health in Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-11, December.

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