Perspectives of Rural-Dwelling Older Adults on the Experiences with Informal Care in Southeast Nigeria

Nigeria’s growing population of older adults and limited social security have continued to overstretch the informal care networks. More so, the alterations in the filial value for older adults in Nigeria have further threatened the availability and reliance on informal care arrangements. Exploring the experiences of rural-dwelling older adults on the availability of informal care is crucial in strengthening and sustaining the informal care system. Our study explored the perspective of older adults residing in rural parts of southeast Nigeria on their experiences with informal care. Data was collected using a qualitative phenomenological approach from 10 older adults aged 65 and above through semi-structured interviews. The data collected were coded inductively using NVivo 12 and analysed thematically. The findings of our study show that older adults preferred informal care because it provides a customised approach to care, especially in meeting dietary and medication needs. Issues such as economic hardship, declining filial value for older people, and migration of adult children were found to affect the provision of informal care to older adults in Nigeria. Thus, our study strongly recommends preserving filial values for older adults in Nigeria, improving and strengthening family-oriented care, establishing well-equipped and adequately funded care facilities for older adults in rural communities, and developing comprehensive social security for older adults in Nigeria.