Previous life styles and neglect in old age: Perceptions and conceptions of community leaders in Zambia
Abstract
This article is aimed at adding new knowledge to the existing literature on how previous life styles can lead to neglect in old age using the perceptions and conceptions of community leaders in rural and urban Zambia. The article which is based on qualitative data collected from community leaders in Zambia involved in addressing problems of elder abuse argues that previous life styles are playing a part in the neglect of some elder people in rural and urban Zambia. The specific previous life styles which are leading to their neglect include devaluing of the family members and failure to invest in private social protection during their days of productivity. Solutions on how to prevent neglect in old age have also been suggested using the perceptions and conceptions of community leaders in Zambia. The article further argues that since the world is moving towards population ageing and given the fact that neglect of elder people is a global problem, the revelations made in this article have significant implications for social gerontology, social work and public health education, practice and research. This is because social gerontologists, social workers and public health workers are among the frontline workers dealing with the problem of elder neglect. Directions for future research are also suggested.
References
Bavel, M, et al. (2010). Elder abuse in europe – background and position paper. Utrecht: European Union. http://envejecimiento.csic.es/documentos/documentos/european-elderabuse-01.pdf
Bigombe, B and Khadiagala, M.G. (2010). Major trends affecting families in Sub-Saharan Africa.’’ Southern African Journal of Gerontology. 6(7), 30-66.
DOI:10.14198/ALTERN2004.12.8
Cadmus, E. O, Owoaje, E. T., and Akinyemi, O. (2015). Older persons’ views and experience of elder abuse in south western Nigeria: a community – based qualitative survey. Journal of Aging and Health, 27(4), 711 – 729. doi: 10.1177/0898264314559893
Cooper, C., Selwood, A., Livingston, G. (2008).The Prevalence of elder abuse and neglect a systematic review. Age and Ageing, 37(2),151-160.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afm194
Cliquet, R., D. (1998). The future of the family: a sociobiological approach. Leuven: University Press.
Creswell, W. J. (2009). Third edition research design – qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. London: Sage publications.
Draft Zambia National Ageing Policy. (2013). Draft Policy, Lusaka: Cabinet Office.
Devereux, S. and Sabates-Wheeler, R. (2004). Transformative social protection. Brighton: Institute for Development Studies.
Fry, L.C. (1990). Cross-cultural comparisons of ageing: perspectives and issues. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Fuller.C.E (1972). Ageing among southern africa bantu. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts: New York.
Global AgeWatch Index (2014). London: HelpAge International.
Hall, A., and Midgley, J. (2004). Social policy and development. London: Sage.
HelpAge International . (2011). HelpAge international’s submission for the consultation on the human rights of older persons: follow-up to the second world assembly on ageing. London: HelpAge International.
Hörl, J., & Spannring, R. (2001). Gewalt gegen alte Menschen. In: Bundesministerium für soziale
Sicherheit und Generationen (pp. 305-344). (Hg.): Gewalt in der Familie. Gewaltbericht 2001. Von der Enttabuisierung zur Professionalisierung [Violence against old people. In: Federal Ministry for Social Security and Generations (ed.): Violence in the family. Violence Report 2001. From the removal of taboos to professionalization]. Wien. BMSG, S..
Jackson, L. S. (2014). All elder abuse perpetrators are not alike: Heterogeneity of elder abuse perpetrators and implications for intervention. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology,60(3), 265-285.
doi: 10.1177/0306624X14554063.
Kabelenga, I. (2013). Problems faced by parents in low income class areas in Zambia in sending their children to public basic schools despite the government’s introduction of Free Primary Education. Journal of Humanities. Vol.1, 23 -33.
Kabelenga, I. (2014). Additional types of elder abuse – empirical evidence from Zambia. Journal of Community Positive Practices. XIV(2), 37-49.
http://jppc.ro/en/index.php/jppc/article/view/237
Kabelenga, I. (2014) Additional types of elder abuse? Empirical evidence from Zambia. Journal of Community Positive Practices, 14(2), 37-49.
http://jppc.ro/en/index.php/jppc/article/view/237
Kabelenga, I. (2015). The relevancy of postmodernism in understanding elder abuse: implications for social work education and practice. Postmodernism Problems, 5(1), 38-55.
Kabelenga, I. (2015). Extending thinking about elder abuse: political abuse among older people in zambia. Postmodernism Problems, 5(3), 311-338.
Kabelenga, I. (2015). Generational gap in Zambian Families. Anthropological Researches and Studies. No 5, p.30.
Kabelenga, I. (2016). Zambian elders’ experiences and perceptions of the generation gap. Anthropological Researches and Studies,7(1), DOI: 10.26758/7.1.1
Kamwengo, M. (2004). Growing old in Zambia – old and new perspectives. New Delhi:
Sterling International.
Manthorpe, J., et al. (2012). Responding to the financial abuse of people with dementia: a qualitative study of safeguarding experiences in England. International Psycho geriatrics, 24(9),1454-1464. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610212000348
Merkestein, A. (2008). Introduction to public policy. Pretoria: Ithuthuko Publishers.
Mupila, O. (2008,July 22). The silent cancer of elder abuse. Ndola: Times of Zambia.
Mysyuk, Y. (2015). Perspectives on elder abuse in the Netherlands. Leiden: Leiden University Repository.
Oduro, D.A. (2010). Formal and informal social protection in Sub-Saharan Africa. European report on development. Legon: University of Ghana.
Osei-Hwedie, K., Mwansa, L., and Mufune, P. (1990). Youth and community work practice – methods, techniques and skills. London: Commonwealth Secretariat.
Phelan, A. (2013). International perspectives on elder abuse. London and New York: Routledge.
Pope, D.N, Loeffler, N.D., and Ferrell, .L. (2014). Aging in rural appalachia: perspectives from geriatric social service professionals. Advances in Social Work,15(2) (Fall 2014), 522-537. DOI:10.18060/17059
Save the Children. (2008). Rewrite the future, two years on. Save the Children.
The Global Gender Report (2015). Insight report – 10th anniversary edition. World Economic Forum.
United Nations. (2002). Abuse of older persons: recognizing and responding to abuse of older persons in a global context. New York: Commission for Social Development.
UNECE. (2013). Abuse of older persons policy brief. UNECE Policy Brief on Ageing No. 14, October 2013.
WHO .(2002). World report on violence and health. Geneva: WHO.
WHO .(2008). A global response to elder abuse and neglect: building primary health care capacity to deal with the problem worldwide: Main report. Geneva. WHO.
Wolf, S. R. and Pillemer, K. A. (1982). Elder abuse: conflict in the family. Dover: Auburn House Publishing Company.
Wolf, R. S. (2000). The nature and scope of elder abuse: changes in perspective and response over the past 25 years. Generations, 24(2), 6−12.
World Conference on Education for All. (1990). World Declaration on Education for All. Jomtien: World Conference on Education.
World Report on Violence and Health. (2002). Geneva: WHO.
World Report on Ageing and Health (2015). Geneva. WHO.
https://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/en/
Yin, K. R. (2003). Qualitative research from start to finish. New York: The Guilford Press.
Zambia National Gender Policy. (2000). Draft Policy Lusaka: Cabinet Office. http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/zam152916.pdf
