MSW, Department of Social Work, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia.
PhD student, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
J Aging Soc Policy. 2023 Jul 4;35(4):440-462. doi: 10.1080/08959420.2022.2139988. Epub 2022 Dec 5.
Despite historical veneration of elders in many African nations, older adults are increasingly viewed as a burden. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the aging experiences of 20 adults aged 70 and older in rural Ethiopia. Themes that emerged from the interviews were analyzed in light of the three pillars of the World Health Organization's : health, security, and participation. Despite facing multiple barriers to active aging including lack of health care, financial hardship, ageism, and social exclusion, study participants were determined not to withdraw from activities in an effort to retain their autonomy, independence, and sense of dignity. Study findings point to the need for policymakers and other concerned bodies to develop supportive policies and programs to promote older adults' well-being. The study calls for a paradigm shift that involves adopting the WHO's Active Aging Framework, developing rights-based policies and programs, popularizing active aging, and revitalizing intergenerational solidarity.
尽管在许多非洲国家，老年人历来受到尊敬，但他们越来越被视为负担。本研究采用解释学现象学方法，对埃塞俄比亚农村地区 20 名 70 岁及以上的成年人进行了深入访谈，以探讨他们的老龄化体验。根据世界卫生组织健康、安全和参与这三个支柱，对访谈中出现的主题进行了分析。尽管老年人在积极老龄化方面面临着多种障碍，包括缺乏医疗保健、经济困难、年龄歧视和社会排斥，但研究参与者决心不退出活动，以保持他们的自主性、独立性和尊严感。研究结果表明，政策制定者和其他有关机构需要制定支持性政策和方案，以促进老年人的福祉。该研究呼吁进行范式转变，包括采用世界卫生组织的积极老龄化框架、制定基于权利的政策和方案、普及积极老龄化以及振兴代际团结。
