Management and Coping with Care for Older Adults: Tales of Family Caregivers in Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract Background: 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. Method: We sought to adopt a qualitative research approach. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were utilized in collecting data from 54 participants aged 15-59 years who provide caregiving roles to older adults aged 60 years and above. Data were analyzed thematically. Results: 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 is gradually declining. It was found that participants who cope through non-human relationships adopt strategies including maintaining a positive outlook of life, observing spiritual relationship with God and spending time playing games and music. Few participants narrated how they cope through adequate ageing nutrition and unsafe hygiene practices. 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. Conclusion: We recommend that the Nigerian government should assist with health insurance schemes, security grants and payment to registered family caregivers. International organizations, indigenes in the diaspora and local humanitarian groups in collaboration with social workers can help develop care aid programs for older adults’ wellbeing in low-resource countries.