Management and coping with care for older adults: family caregivers’ experiences in Enugu state, Nigeria

Often, ageing is associated with a decline in health conditions and changes in the dietary needs of older adults. It then follows that the most essential line of action is caregiving. This paper examines how family caregivers manage and cope with the caregiving roles for older adults in South-East Nigeria. We sought to adopt a qualitative research approach. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were utilized in collecting data from 54 participants, comprising family caregivers and health workers aged 18–59 years, and providing caregiving roles to older adults aged 60 years and above. Data were analyzed thematically. We found that participants experience challenges managing care for older adults. This was owing to older adults’ age, health status, attitude, financial incapacitation and educational status of the family caregivers. Most of the participants cope through human and non-human relationships. Findings show that communal relationships in rural communities are gradually declining. It was found that participants who cope through non-human relationships adopt strategies including maintaining a positive outlook of life, observing a spiritual relationship with God and spending time playing games and music. A few participants narrated how they cope with healthy nutrition and unhygienic habits. We observed that family caregivers are in dire need of assistance in care management for older adults. Participants showed little knowledge of social work engagement in care management for older adults. An increase in age comes with an increase in care management demands, with concerns affecting the management and strategies adopted in coping with care for older adults. Since the Nigerian society does not support institutionalized homes for older adults, we recommend the utilization of social workers' services in family settings, through providing appropriate care management strategies and services for older adults and their family caregivers.