Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Agogo
In Ghana persons above 65 years are designated in the category of the aged or elderly. Aged care in the 21st century has received increased awareness and is getting intensified as the rate of life expectancy also increases. The underlying factor is the growing concern to seek the total well-being of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Noyam Journals
2022-10-01
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| Series: | E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://noyam.org/ehass20223103/ |
| _version_ | 1797758889923444736 |
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| author | Seth Oteng Ofori |
| author_facet | Seth Oteng Ofori |
| author_sort | Seth Oteng Ofori |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Ghana persons above 65 years are designated in the category of the aged or elderly. Aged care in the 21st century has received increased awareness and is getting intensified as the rate of life expectancy also increases. The underlying factor is the growing concern to seek the total well-being of these aged in the various indigenous Ghanaian communities. This, therefore, precipitated an enquiry into the activities of Agogo Presbyterian hospital, the churches in Agogo and the government Social Welfare Department in Agogo all located in the Asante Akim North Municipal of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Through focus group discussions among the aged, and an interview exercise conducted with the caregivers (the ministers, healthcare professionals and a social worker), the care of the aged was discussed. The aim of this was to unravel the sort of care given to these vulnerable persons in the Agogo community. Thematically, the results obtained were given the necessary interpretation and are further discussed as feedback from the aged. The study findings revealed that the aged most of the time are drifted to spirituality/church due to imminent death, protection for their children, and the fear of being bewitched. The Church keeps attracting the aged to its worship and provides their mandated spiritual care with intermittent social interventions. The Social Welfare Department was also constrained by financial, logistical, and institutional challenges. The Agogo Presbyterian Hospital balances its care of patients with spiritual care but is not well integrated and not specifically tailored towards the care of the aged. The study concluded that an enhanced care plan is hereby encouraged for these stakeholders to help the aged not just to live longer but also better. It recommended the establishment of geriatric/gerontological schools for the training of nurses and other allied staff for the care of the aged in Ghana. This has become necessary due to the rising level of the aged population in the country. This article seeks to add to the scanty existing literature on caring for people with special needs in Ghana. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T18:36:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09a302a096734ee186098374f21dd037 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2720-7722 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T18:36:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Noyam Journals |
| record_format | Article |
| series | E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-09a302a096734ee186098374f21dd0372023-08-02T07:56:35ZengNoyam JournalsE-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences2720-77222022-10-01310447458https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20223103Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem AgogoSeth Oteng Ofori0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0669-2602Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaIn Ghana persons above 65 years are designated in the category of the aged or elderly. Aged care in the 21st century has received increased awareness and is getting intensified as the rate of life expectancy also increases. The underlying factor is the growing concern to seek the total well-being of these aged in the various indigenous Ghanaian communities. This, therefore, precipitated an enquiry into the activities of Agogo Presbyterian hospital, the churches in Agogo and the government Social Welfare Department in Agogo all located in the Asante Akim North Municipal of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Through focus group discussions among the aged, and an interview exercise conducted with the caregivers (the ministers, healthcare professionals and a social worker), the care of the aged was discussed. The aim of this was to unravel the sort of care given to these vulnerable persons in the Agogo community. Thematically, the results obtained were given the necessary interpretation and are further discussed as feedback from the aged. The study findings revealed that the aged most of the time are drifted to spirituality/church due to imminent death, protection for their children, and the fear of being bewitched. The Church keeps attracting the aged to its worship and provides their mandated spiritual care with intermittent social interventions. The Social Welfare Department was also constrained by financial, logistical, and institutional challenges. The Agogo Presbyterian Hospital balances its care of patients with spiritual care but is not well integrated and not specifically tailored towards the care of the aged. The study concluded that an enhanced care plan is hereby encouraged for these stakeholders to help the aged not just to live longer but also better. It recommended the establishment of geriatric/gerontological schools for the training of nurses and other allied staff for the care of the aged in Ghana. This has become necessary due to the rising level of the aged population in the country. This article seeks to add to the scanty existing literature on caring for people with special needs in Ghana.https://noyam.org/ehass20223103/the agedgerontologyspiritualitysocial and clinical care |
| spellingShingle | Seth Oteng Ofori Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Agogo E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences the aged gerontology spirituality social and clinical care |
| title | Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Agogo |
| title_full | Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Agogo |
| title_fullStr | Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Agogo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Agogo |
| title_short | Towards the Care of the Aged in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Agogo |
| title_sort | towards the care of the aged in ghana the case of asante akyem agogo |
| topic | the aged gerontology spirituality social and clinical care |
| url | https://noyam.org/ehass20223103/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sethotengofori towardsthecareoftheagedinghanathecaseofasanteakyemagogo |