I have read with great interest the Feature Article of Sunday,14 May 2006 titled Does Ghana have the facilities to add to years on for the elderly? I will like to commend the writer for bringing this issue to attention. Ageing, however, is an inevitable prospect, a process most people will go through. For most people in Ghana, ageing is both an achievement and a perpetual challenge. A higher proportion of the over 60s in Ghana live in rural areas and the majority lack good drinking water, have to face increase in diseases, malaria, cholera, etc and live in unsanitary environments. It is therefore a challenge to live to 60 and above.
In years gone by a link was made between old age and wisdom and we generally saw older people as an asset, a resource, transferring experience and knowledge. The Ghanaian respected older people and saw them as custodians of the culture though there are signs that this is breaking down.
Majority of the old people in Ghana were involved in agriculture and the private sector. Due to the nature of agriculture many people are unable to continue with this type of work after 60 years or in some cases earlier and if such a person has not saved the money earned during their youthful years or invested in an income producing venture then they have no access to regular sources of income in old age. Little attention is paid to older people other than retired civil servants. Since there is no public-funded social security system or welfare scheme in Ghana and such persons may be ineligible for the meagre pensions on offer, the aged in Ghana must rely on their children and grandchildren or the family for support. This was expected of children in particular. Indeed a Ghanaian proverb translated says since your old man or woman has taken care while you cut your teeth, you must in turn take care of them while they are losing their teeth. The extended families also provided guarantees for old age. Whenever the issue of elderly abuse and isolation is raised in my current place of residence, I have remarked that this will never happen in Ghana for families always look after the elderly. Now, it seems things are changing fast. I am aware of persons in the Diaspora employing complete strangers to look after their elderly.
The increased urbanisation and the poor state of the Ghanaian economy have contributed to deteriorating living conditions of old persons. Unemployment and high cost of living are rendering families financially impotent to shoulder the burden of looking after their older people. In this situation the older person will also not have adequate basic resources such as food and nutrition and adequate living environments (water, sanitation and shelter), conditions which has significant impact on their health. The situation is worse with those without relatives overseas who are willing to help with periodic remittances. The family structures which used to support the system are also fast breaking down while people are living longer.
The degree of population ageing varies widely and in demographic terms Ghana is a youthful population. It may be argued that population ageing of the kind that raises serious and much discussed economic issues in the developed world may be a distant one for Ghana since our fertility rates are relatively high. However, ageing is a problem that Ghana needs to look at and policies developed to meet the potential increase in the number of older persons.
I will suggest awareness creation among policy- and decision-makers about the speed of population ageing and its public heath and economic consequences. We need to start thinking seriously of investing in health and promoting it throughout the life span of the individual. This is the only way to ensure that more people will reach old age in good health and capable of contributing to society intellectually, i.e. imparting their knowledge and experiences to the young, spiritually and physically. We need to start looking at housing structures. When you are at certain age you need to live in a single storey house. We have to start looking at how to better harness the energies and resources of both family and community in resolving the social needs of older persons. If the family is to continue to act as the safety net for older person and play the role it once played then it must be provided with the means and support to do this.
We need to develop prudent policy making which should include a strategic approach involving a holistic view of ageing. In my view now is the time for the government in consultation with the community to start looking at the many issues associated with an ageing population with a view to developing policy settings for the future.
Canberra
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