Comfort Yakubu
‘’Ageing is both a ‘natural’ and universal process; but growing old can be as Graceful as it can be traumatic
Comfort Yakubu
Mrs. Mary Zhiri is a Nigerian Nurse who had practiced for over thirty years in Nigeria, she explains that geriatric is a branch of medicine concerned with the diseases and care for old people. Geriatric nurses help elderly patients, these older adults are at greater risk of injuries and diseases like osteoporosis and cancer which is why geriatric nurses focus on preventative care. They also help patients and families; cope with certain medical conditions that develop later in life.
She added that the establishment of old people’s homes is important and believes the government should take it seriously such homes should have good facilities such as hospitals, good legal assistance, good nutrition, good rehabilitation, and a free phone.
Establishing an association of geriatric people rehabilitation routine check-up and screening, focus on nutrition, free medical, financial help will go a long way in addressing this major issue.
According to Adeleke Justina of Adekunle Ajasin University, ‘’Ageing is both a ‘natural’ and universal process; but growing old can be as Graceful as it can be traumatic.
The challenges older people face in Africa is constantly increasing as societies experience conflicts, economic problems, and deterioration in family relationships.
Elderly Nigerians in rural areas, especially Agricultural workers and subsistence farmers do not receive pension benefits from the government at a time when they need as much support and care especially because of their deteriorating health challenge. Poverty, therefore, remains a major challenge for elderly persons, who have retired from the economic productive phase, are most vulnerable to experiencing economic hardship.
The patterns of the economic lives of old persons in Nigeria vary from urban and rural residences. In urban Nigeria, elders with high physical and psychological functioning are forced to retire once they reach the retirement age. They face abrupt declines in their income and can feel less self-worth or even depression since they perceive themselves as being fit to work. However, in rural Nigeria, since many older persons are not formally employed with a company, they continue to engage in mental and manual work with meager earnings as long as their physical strength can afford. The rural elderly may suffer from stress disorders, physical exhaustion with no retirement benefit.
In Nigeria, older persons and their families face challenges in coping with changes in family dynamics, increased demand for medical services, increased economic stress and decreased functional independence. In some countries especially the developed countries there are old people’s home where they are properly cared for with nurses and attendants, the idea of old people’s home however has not gone down well with many Nigerians, because of the highly conservative nature of Nigeria but the challenges old people face still exist, the contemporary lifestyle makes it difficult for working-class to adequately take care of their elderly,
Patience Edirin Ukiri of Ahmadu Bello University explained that ‘’Elderly people are abused and neglected both physically and psychologically by family members and other caregivers. Some of them have challenges of poverty and diseases of old age such as stroke, depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
Because of their frailty, they depend on their families and other caregivers for care, and in the process are abused. Also in the absence of institutional care, adult children who are too busy to take care of their parents hire caregivers who also maltreat them.
Unfortunately, the elderly are unable to challenge their abusers and have no way of reporting their abuse and so many suffer in silence.
Nigeria has the largest number of elderly people over 60years of age in Africa yet there is very little put in place by the government for them.
Even the Madrid Plan of Action on Aging, to which Nigeria is a signatory to has not been implemented. families therefor continue to bear the burden of caring for their elderly members. Some elderly members live in destitution and are left at the mercy of the public or good Samaritans.
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