Caregiving practices for older persons in Africa: Changing trends and implications for transformative social work

Abstract

In Africa, the caregiving of older adults is primarily provided by the family. However, there have been changes in these traditional caregiving practices due to changing social, economic and health landscapes, requiring a transformative approach to caring for older people in Africa. The AU Policy Framework and Plan Action on Aging/HAI have made recommendations considering the inadequacies of family caregiving. This narrative literature review examined the arguments of scholars within the position of AU/HAI recommendations within the culture of informal care for older people as well as what potential challenges and opportunities arise from the evolving perspectives on caregiving in Africa. The Ubuntu and Relational-Cultural theories were used as a framework for the study. Findings reveal that scholars have justifiably argued for the adaptation of the African perspective on caregiving for older people due to its inadequacy in addressing evolving health, social, and economic factors associated with ageing. Scholars advocate for a paradigm shift towards a more robust and integrative system of care that considers not only the traditional values and familial structures but also aligns with the changing needs of the older population to foster a supportive and effective caregiving environment for older people in Africa. It is recommended that an encompassing social care, policies, and programs should reflect the specific concerns of older women and men such that all people, irrespective of age, can live long and healthy lives.