Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BY
MOHAMEDI MIRAJI
FAUSTINO SWAI
MERINA SHAIDI
DEVELOPMENT
July, 2012
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TUMAINI UNIVERSITY
BY
MOHAMEDI MIRAJI
FAUSTINO SWAI
MERINA SHAIDI
DEVELOPMENT
July, 2012
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CERTIFICATION
The undersigned certifies that he has read and hereby recommends for acceptance by
Tumaini University, Iringa University College. A research paper titled; Assessment of the
challenges facing aged people in elders’ care centres. A case study of Morogoro
Municipality.
Signature…………………………….
Mr. O.SHIRIMA
Date…………………………
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DECLARATION
We Mohamedi Miraji, Faustino Swai and Merina Shaidi; hereby say publicly that this
research is our own original work and it has not presented and will not be presented to any
other College and University for the similar or any other awards.
Candidates signatures:
Date……………………….
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COPYRIGHT© 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, restored in any retrival
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the authors, or Tumaini
University on behalf.
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DEDICATION
We dedicate this research work to Parents for their supports toward the
accomplishment of University studies may Almighty God bless them. Also we would
like to dedicate our closely associates Laurie A. Abdullah, Seif Mohamed ,Omari
Lucy Swai, Grace Swai, Melchiory Swai, Daudi Msangi, Mwatumu Miraji Answary
and Warda Msangi as well as all members of group discussion for their closely
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to thanks our Almighty God for his blessings to us during the study’s time
Also we have the honor to give sincere thanks to our supervisor Mr. Omary Shirima of
Tumaini University-Iringa University College for his dedicated support and supervision as
well as constructive ideas that have greatly contributed to the quality of this research, for
We wish to express our thanks to instructors of Community Development and our fellow
students BACD 3 of the Tumaini University- Iringa university College, MOROPEO staffs,
Mgolole and Fungafunga Elders’care givers, leaders and elders for their mutual support
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ABSTRACT
The study title was, Assessment of challenges facing Aged people in elders’ care centres.
A case study of Morogoro Municipality. The study aimed at assessing on the challenges
facing aged people in elders’ care centres, identifying causes and measures to be taken to
The research was conducted in Morogoro Municipality, where by the only available
elders’ care centres were involved namely Fungafunga and Mgolole. The researchers
involved such as elders, Elders’ caregivers, Government and Centres’ leaders as well
as MOROPEO staffs. Data collection was done through questionnaire, focus group
discussion, interviews, observation and other secondary data from internet and library
books. However the data analysis was done manually and presented by tables.
The study findings found that the challenges facing aged people in Elder’s care centres in
insufficient water supply and poor health services. The causes of the challenges were; poor
traditional believes.
On the other hand the study found that MOROPEO institution perceived ECC’s as prison
to elder, some of their leaders make centres as source of their income and Government
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disvalue the ECC’s. This implies that other organizations dealing with elders do not
support elder care centers program and have negative perception towards them.
Therefore the researchers suggested the following measures; effective and efficient
implementation of elder care guide policy and establishment of Ministry for elders’ affairs.
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE..................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1
CHAPTER TWO.................................................................................................................8
LITERATURE REVIEWS.................................................................................................8
2.1Conceptual model.........................................................................................................8
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2.2 Values of aged people in Tanzania.............................................................................10
CHAPTER THREE..........................................................................................................15
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................15
3.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................15
3.4.1Sample size..........................................................................................................16
CHAPTER FOUR.............................................................................................................20
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION........................................................................................20
4.1 Overview...................................................................................................................20
4.4 Causes of the challenges facing Aged people in elders’ care centres in Morogoro
Municipality.....................................................................................................................23
Table: 4.0 Percentage rates of the causes of challenges facing aged people in ECC’s in
Morogoro Municipality...................................................................................................27
4.5 Measures to be taken to mitigate the challenges facing aged people in ECC’s.........27
Table 4.1. Measures to be taken to mitigate the challenges facing aged people in ECC’s
in Morogoro Municipality................................................................................................29
CHAPTER FIVE...............................................................................................................32
5.1 Conclusion.................................................................................................................32
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5.2 Recommendations.....................................................................................................33
.............................................................................................................................................35
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................36
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Traditionally elders care has been the responsibility of family members and was provided
within the extended family home. Increasingly in modern societies, elders’ care is now
being provided by Government or private centres. The reasons for this change include
decreasing family size, the greater life expectancy of elderly people, the geographical
dispersion of families, and the tendency for women to be educated and work outside their
homes. Although these changes have affected European and North American countries
Aged care programme was first established in Great Britain during the last quarter of
seventeen century (17th century).During this period aged people, laziness and disabled
were given a privileges of being cared by the government until the period of poor law
amendment act in 1834 in which the government amended the act concerning the aged,
disables and laziness. At this time the Britain government decided to reduce dependent
groups by minimizing budgets and evicting all lazy people from the centers and remained
with aged and disabled people. After several movements of marginalized people toward
their rights in Great Britain such as Luddism and Chartism movements some elders’ care
centers were established to improve the living standards of aged people. These centres
were held by private owners, although some of them still being under assistance of the
including Tanzania. The growth and adoption of elders’ care centres in Tanzania was
This committed Tanzania government to meet the challenges of ageing population and
provided the policy makers with a set of 117 concrete recommendations, covering three
main priority directions: older persons and development, maintaining health and well-
being into old age and ensuring enabling and supportive environments for the elderly.
(Second World Assembly on Ageing 2002). Furthermore, the second World Assembly
promoted a new recognition that ageing was not simply an issue of social security and
welfare but of overall development and economic policy. (Second World Assembly on
Ageing 2002).
Indeed, this gave Tanzania a challenge to develop a policy on the ageing called “The
National Policy on Ageing 2003” issued out in September 2003 (URT, 2003). Among the
aims of the policy was to open access of establishing ECC’s in order to ensure social,
economic and political security of elders. For example several elders’ care centres were
established and recognized in various places main land and Islets among those includes
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1.2 Statement of the problem and Justification
Despite various efforts of the Government and private sectors to improve the living
standards of aged people in ECC’s through launching of national policy on ageing, little
action has been undertaken with respect to its implementation. Since little national studies
related to elderly have been conducted, limited information is known on the status
especially on the challenges facing aged people in ECC’s. For example of studies
conducted include “A Help Age research” which was conducted on social service
To date aged people are still facing many challenges in ECC’s that Government and
private sectors has been trying to address since 2002 apart from shortage of funds to
support ECC’s in Morogoro Municipality there might be other factors that influencing
those challenges. This situation therefore create a need of carrying out a research to
determine challenges facing aged people in ECC’s in Morogoro Municipality that have not
For that reason study will make an important contribution to the understanding of the
challenges facing aged people in ECC’s specifically in Morogoro Municipality and the
information about the challenges facing aged people in Morogoro municipality and the
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1.3 Significance of the study.
This study will be helpful to the community in the sense that the communities will know
the challenges facing aged people and how can the problem be eradicated or minimized.
Also informs the policy makers (the government, NGO's and CBO's) about the problem in
order to formulate measures for solving and controlling challenges facing aged people.
Furthermore the result of the study reveal various social, political, economic and cultural
aged people .
The study also is useful to other researchers who will develop interest on doing the same
study topic on the same area or other areas. The results of the study are of overstated
significance due to fact that aging is a national issue as it hinders various government
The main objective of this research was to assess the challenges facing aged people in
i) To identify the causes of the challenges facing aged people in elder’s care centres.
ii) To identify measures to be taken to mitigate the challenges facing aged people in elders’
care centres.
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iii) To determine the perception of MOROPEO staffs on elders’ care centres.
i) What are challenges facing age people in elder care centres in Morogoro Municipality?
The major aim was to assess the challenges facing aged people in ECC’s in Morogoro
Municipality. This was based on independent, dependent and background variables. There
is inter-relationship between demographic, social, political and cultural factors towards the
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Figure: 1. The relationship between background, independent and dependent
variables
Background variables Independent variables Dependent variables
Traditional beliefs
Elder refer to anyone who has reached a certain age and in some cases is used
interchangeably with the term "senior" as in senior citizen. (S. Kaur. et al 2007)
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Aged people can be determined through different phenomena such as physical changes,
demographic changes, life expectancy as well as psychological aspects. All people who
fall under this circumstances are referred aged people (old ages).
Therefore boundary between middle age and old age cannot be defined exactly because it
does not have the same meaning in all societies. As people can be considered to be old
because of certain changes in their activities or social roles. Examples: people may be
considered old when they become grandparents, or when they begin to do less or different
work retirement.
Elder care refers to fulfillment of special needs and requirements that are unique to senior
citizens. It comprises services such as assisted living, adult day care long term care,
Elders’ Care centers these are government or non government institutions which are
constructed to provide help and assistance to the aged people. For example assistance on
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEWS
This chapter provides the researcher with an opportunity to review what other scholars
explained about the concept and challenges facing Aged people in ECC’s as well as
To conduct the literature review, the researchers searched terms that reflect conditions and
services that might challenges aged people in elders’ care centres. The study was done for
each term or combination of terms for the years 2011/2012. The researchers also reviewed
reports from the websites of various organizations (such as Family Caregiver Alliance)
2.1Conceptual model
Elderly age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings,
and thus the end of the human life cycle. Euphemisms and terms for old people include
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seniors (American usage), senior citizens (British and American usage) and the elderly. As
occurs with almost any definable group of humanity, some people will hold a prejudice
against others in this case, against old people. This is one form of ageism.
S. Kaur. et al (2007)
Ageing is a biological process which has its own dynamic, largely beyond human control.
The age of 60 years and above, roughly equivalent to retirement ages in Tanzania, is said
Old age is observed as an ineluctable, undesirable, problem- ridden stage of life that we all
are compelled to live, marking time until our final exist from life itself. (D. John and J.
Traver 1994).
An elderly person who is able to fund their own retirement is called a retiree. This means
they had a job that paid them enough superannuation. Someone who is unable to fund their
own retirement, and is paid welfare money by the government is called a pensioner.
especially if they are very sick, or have to pay rent. (Journal of Age and Aging, 1998)
Care for the elderly can take place in their homes or centres. Groups such as Meals on
Wheels deliver nutritious food for a small fee and centre care programs, clean houses for
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those elderly people who are unable to do it themselves. These services may be non-
existent in rural areas. If elderly people cannot take care of themselves, and their families
are unwilling or unable to care for them, they have to find care centres. The conditions can
be rough, especially if you do not have a lot of money to spend. Availability is also a big
problem, since we have an aging population and nursing homes do not receive enough
According to TNAP. (2003) “the government realizes that older people are a resource in
older people’s contribution in political, economic, cultural and social arena. Besides
protection and care services emphasis will be put on involving older people in national
The ability of the oldest old to manage themselves is either minimal or not existing. Due
to this fact the society has the responsibility of providing them with care and support.
However the family will remain the basic institution of care and support for older people.
As the aged population increasing year after year, the government and private sectors
decided to establish elders care centres in Tanzania. Virtually this successful strategy
in Morogoro region which are under assistance of the Government, also there are centres
which are under assistance of private sectors like, Mgolole mission centre.
Throughout the world the issue of aged people (elders) in elders’ care centres has being a
critical aspect that challenges most of the spheres of lives. “Acute and chronic health
problems will increase as the population ages. Among persons age 65 and older, more than
half have some form of disability; the rate of reported disability increases with age.
Race and ethnicity are also important factors; African Americans and Hispanics age 65
and older report higher rates of disability than non-Hispanic Whites. Most care in care
centres after hospitalization is provided in elders’ care centre. Family members provide
When it comes to the lives of older people in elder’s care centres we have to look far for
repeated references to troubles such as how to fund inadequate care in later life, neglect
within the health service or financial struggles. In fact, the list of challenges facing many
older people elders’ care centres is a very long one made even worse by cuts to services.
But sometimes it's the things we don't hear much about that are deserving of attention.
Things that don't always focus on older people as helpless or as a financial strain to
grapple with but rather as a diverse, engaged and even dynamic sector of society.
(O'Hara,2009)
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The challenges which older people experience in elder’s care centres are; failure to meet
their basic need, and the lack of support, both affect their health. The current health care
offered to older people in care centres is problematic, although statistics to support this are
limited. Access to health services is limited, especially to older people, whose ability to
pay for these services is incomplete. As mentioned before, exemption mechanisms for
health care services do exist, but their effectiveness is imperfect. Therefore the aims of
elder care center are to sufficiently help the older people and advance them, maintaining
health and well-being into old age and ensuring, enabling and supporting environments for
According to Forrester 1999 in a study on the situation of older people in the context of
However the Tanzania government does not expect to establish older people’s long term
care institutions in order to provide care for older people. (TNAP, 2003)
Forrester 1999 in a study on the situation of older people in the context of Tanzania also
came across widespread beliefs on witchcraft in Kagera Region. Other key findings of his
study were:
Diminishing importance of the traditional role of the elderly within their communities. In
the past, older people were considered to be responsible of advising the younger
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generation, so that they grew up according tribal ethics and morals. Except for the Masai,
most tribes face a decline in the traditional way of life. As both Forrester and the Labour
Force Survey show, older people are more than passive and dependent. Especially in rural
areas even at very old ages they are still active in a range of economic activities, like
Laws do not protect older people; the current social and legal system does not provide
adequate protection and security to older people as a special group. Consequently, they do
not receive deserving care and older women are denied their right to own and inherit
In the early 1990s Tanzania introduced the cost-sharing principal in the health sector,
meaning the introduction of user fees for hospital services. The introduction of user fees
was officially extended to basic health care facilities as of July 2003. Implementation
however was left the district councils’ discretion. To divert the cost burden for vulnerable
groups, including elderly, exemption mechanisms have been set up. However, the
specified 8 priority objectives of which the first one is reduction of morbidity and
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mortality also focused on elderly, next to infants, children and women of reproductive age
The National Ageing Policy recognizes human rights as stipulated in the Tanzanian
constitution of 1977 as amended in 1984 and 1995 respectively. Moreover the policy has
taken into consideration the United Nations Organization declaration No. 46 of 1991 on
the following older people’s rights: Independence, Participation, Care, Self – fulfillment
Furthermore, the government does not expect to establish older people’s long term care
institutions. In order to provide care for older people; Families and the society in general
will be mobilized/sensitized to care and support older people; Older people will be cared
The government through Local Government and Voluntary Agencies, will continue to
provide institutional care to older people and others who have no one to care for. (TNAP,
2003)
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CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter describes various research terms and plan. The methodologies which were
used in this research include study area, research design, sample and sampling techniques,
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3.2 Research design
Research design can be referred as the arrangement of conditions for collection and
analysis of data in a manner that aimed to combine relevance to the research purpose with
economy in procedure. (C.R. Kothari, 2004).The study included both quantitative and
interviews, focus group discussions amongst others. Quantitative research design includes
collecting data informs of numbers and statistics while the qualitative included statements
The study was conducted in Morogoro municipality which is located on the eastern side of
municipality lies between latitudes 5058’ and 10000’ South of the Equator and between
3.4.1Sample size
Simple random and purpose sampling were used to select respondents in the study area.
The total of 50 respondents were interviewed which included elders, elder care givers,
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3.4.2 Sampling procedures and techniques
In this study the selection of sample was important as it was impossible to test the whole
population. Hence the study included simple random and stratified sampling techniques.
Random sampling was used to collect data from elders and care givers while purposive
sampling was used to collect information from Moropeo staffs, Government and ECC’s
leaders.
In order to ensure easier accomplishment of the research objective, two kinds of data were
Researchers have gathered information directly from respondents. These primary data
were gathered through different methods such as interviews and questioners in which open
Researcher reviewed various books, news papers, journals, articles and other materials
from internet sites which were corresponding to the research topic for the purpose of
The main methods of data collection used in the study include questionnaires, observation,
The method was administered to all respondents. The questionnaires consisted both closed
and open-ended questions (see appendix 2,3 and 4). In addition to that questionnaires were
translated into Swahili language to enable respondents confidently to express their feelings
and views concerning challenges facing aged people in ECC’s, the causes of those
The researcher used this method to form group discussion with aged people and care
givers in Fungafunga and Mgolole ECC’s. Each group consisted of five respondents of
different sex.
c) Observation
ECC’s.
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d) Interviews
The respondents were requested to participate in formal and informal interviews. Formal
interviews were designed in the way that the respondents were asked to give answers to
the questions asked face to face. The answer helped the researcher to come up with
information which addressed and described challenges facing aged people in ECC’s. The
interviews intended for all categories; age, gender, occupation, marital status and
education level. Informal interview were oral and face to face conversation between
researchers and respondents. The researchers decided to use these techniques because
same of the respondent do not know how to read/write, such respondent includes elders.
Also it provides more information in greater depth and helped the respondent to be
him/her self when express his/her views without the influence of other people.
Data analysis is a body of methods that help to describe facts, detect patterns, develop
explanations, and test hypotheses. All collected data through questionnaire, interview,
observation and focus group discussion where transcribed analyzed translated interpreted
and edited in order to write a report. Wangusa (2002) suggest that “when all the required
data is finally” in, however, checking and editing of the entire lot takes place, as the very
first stage of data processing”. He also says that, “the reason for checking the data is to
test its completeness, accuracy and uniformity, to eliminate obvious discrepancies and
other mistakes in the recording and to reduce the amount of detailed data to the
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manageable proportions”. To simplify the processing of data Statistical Package for Social
Science Programme (SPSS) was used. Finally data were edited for the final report.
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Overview
This chapter analytically presents the results obtained from the research based on
challenges facing Aged people in elders’ care centres in Morogoro municipality. The study
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employed a sample of 50 people, where 50 questionnaires were administered to the
sampled population by the researchers and both were filled making a response rate of 100
percent. Thus by analyzing the results some common challenges facing aged people in
ECC’s, as well as causes, effects and measures towards the challenges were given in this
chapter.
The research study involved a sample size of 50 respondents. The researchers divided the
respondents into different demographic characteristics such as age, gender, marital status,
education levels and occupations in order to get different ideas and avoiding biases.
The age of the respondents are as shown in appendix 1; where a large proportion of
respondents of about 68% were at age of 50years old and above , 24% were between 36
and 50 years of age also 8% of the total respondents were between 18 and 35 years of age.
Therefore in relation to the age of the respondents’ rates the objective of the study became
successive for 100% because nearly all of the respondents were elders whose in most case
proportions of the respondents were female constituting 52% of the overall respondents.
Also 48% were male. In this circumstance most of the informations were obtained from
female compared to male. Most of these female obviously belongs to the group of ages
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above 50 years old. Therefore the findings concluded that the majority of the affected
The marital status of the respondents is shown in appendix 1; where the respondents of
about 36 percent were widowers. The findings also show that 28% of respondents were
widows while singles constituted 16%. Moreover 10% of the respondents occupied by
divorced where as married taken the rest 10%. Through these results the researchers found
that larger percent of aged people in ECC’s in Morogoro Municipality fall on widowers,
widow or divorced characters as nearly every one of them belong to one among the
The respondents interviewed were engaged in various productive activities while others
were not. The appendix 1.Shows the type of productive activities occupied by the
respondents. The study found that 50 percent of the respondents did not have any
occupation, 32 percent of the respondents were employed and 14 percent were peasants
while 4 percent of the respondents were entrepreneurs. The researchers confirm that most
of aged people in ECC’s do not have any occupation. This conveys the need of community
and Government awareness towards the aged group within their care centres.
Respondents’ levels of education were also considered during the study. Appendix 1 shows
that 30% of the respondents did not acquired any level of education. 26% attended
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primary education only. Also the findings show that 20% of the respondents acquired
secondary education and 16% were at diploma level. Degree level which constitutes small
percent (8%) is acquired by few respondents who obvious are the employed one. These
findings reflect that most of the aged people in ECC’s do not acquire any education level
and others ended at primary level. Therefore the consequences of illiterate among the
Poor health services, according to the respondents health services is one of the challenge
that facing elders in ECC’s in Morogoro Municipality. Since most of the elders blaming
that after going to the hospital, they observe that there is no drugs for their treatment so
they were ordered to buy drugs by their own cost in pharmacy instead of receiving them
free from dispensary, health centers, and also government hospitals as the policy passed by
the government to offer pregnant women and children under five years due to inability
without any cost, so they due to misconception o aged people in Government’s fair eyes
Poor basic needs, according to respondents the basic needs also is one of the challenge
facing elders in ECC’s in Morogoro Municipality, including food, clothes and shelter.
Most of them blame that they have unbalanced diet which is not good for their health as
elders who need proper nutrients intake, for example at Fungafunga Government center,
elders proved to researchers that they eat one time per day which is afternoon or evening
while in Mgolole mission center elders eats twice a day but all elders do not get a balanced
diet. Also in all centers have few beds, mattress and rooms enough for all elders and few
clothes hence they are forced to wear one clothes for 3 days or more.
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Poor water supply, according to the respondents water supply is also a challenge in
ECC’s. The canters have poor water system which in most case results in unclean and
unsafe water. In addition due to delaying in paying water bill sometimes water supply
become scarce within the particular centers. This situation affects the general living
conditions of elders within the centres. There is a need for the Government and other
community development agents to play a great role to evacuate the elderly group, mainly
those in ECC’s
were found that is the problem to elders in ECC’s, since they were not aware of most daily
news happen in our country due to poor accessibility of information in their centers like
television, news papers and radio, due to financial problem and poor centers management,
for the reason that through getting access of information it can help them to know different
issues happen in our country, compared to the situation occurred nowadays in their
centers.
4.4 Causes of the challenges facing Aged people in elders’ care centres in Morogoro
Municipality
Poor Government support, the results shows that 98% of the respondents claiming that
poor Government support contributing to the challenges that facing elders in ECC’s in
Morogoro Municipality daily. This circumstances lead most of elders in ECC’s to remain
with no support in attaining their basic needs like food, shelter and clothing. More over the
situation results them into suffering particularly in seeking recovery of the situation. These
results imply that most of the elders in ECC’s are isolated by the Government by making
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them as prisoners within the specific care centres. Also the results show that the
Government only consider the current productive ages such as the youth as well as the
future productive ages like children. This is mainly seen in the essence of consideration of
these substantiate that the government neglects elders group. The result is shown on table
4.0 below.
Poor participation of elders in decision making, 92% the findings from the study
indicates that life hardship of aged people in ECC’s particularly in Morogoro Municipality
concerning elders’ affairs, in steady most of matters concerning elders’ affairs are being
discussed by the youth and middle ages group. The incidence lead the Government and
other stake holders fail to tackle the actual problems facing elders within ECC’s. The
results imply that the rest members of the community involve much in making wrong
decisions on elders’ affairs. Under this circumstance the core challenges facing elders
group do not gets accurate resolutions. The survey results are descriptively shown in table
4.0 below.
Unqualified caregivers, Elders’ Caregivers refers to the people who are professionals
trained on how to assist and take care elders welfares. 90% of the results shows that ECC’s
in Morogoro Municipality have unqualified caregivers. The particular caregivers are not
trained on matters relating to elders’ care. The results provide evidence that elders are
xxv
discussion is supported by one of the care giver at Fungafunga who said that she is a
professional nurse about hospital matters but she has no any training on elders’ care
services. Therefore this does not only create big challenges to care givers but also horrify
living conditions of elders within the particular centres. The actual rates of the findings are
Poor centres’ management, the results shows that 84% of the respondents claimed over
poor management of their centres. The research team found that most of the claims were
directed on service delivery, where by donations from donors, Ngo’s, FBO’s and other
community based organizations does not reach the targeted victims (elders).The centers’
leaders have made the centre as the means of earning income from donors. The research
team witnessed in Fungafunga elders’ care centre, where the elders demanded in front of
certain donor to be given amount of sugar on their own rather than to get it indirectly from
the centres leaders. This implies that either the particular leaders are being given very low
wages which create a need to recover it through elders aids or it just lack of patriotism
against elders challenges. The results are descriptively shown in table 4.0 below.
Poor community support, the results indicates that 72% of the respondents condemned
the community by being providing poor support on their survivability. The respondents
huge contribution to the challenges that affects them directly and indirectly. Most of them
blamed the seasonal, minimal and delayed (especially during religious festivals) support
being provided by the community to earn their living resources. Therefore the results
xxvi
confirm that the autonomy of elders in nowadays community has been depleted compared
to the past generation in which elders had been privileged opportunity at the entire
Bad traditional beliefs, the study reveal that 64% of the respondent accepted that
traditional beliefs within the ECC’s like witchcraft incidences have also a contribution on
the challenges facing aged people in ECC’s in Morogoro Municipality. Some respondents
argued that the challenges that face them like diseases, lack of income as well as general
life hardship contributed a lot by witchcraft carriers among themselves within the centres.
The findings bear out that the elders in one way or another they are indecisive to convey
their problems for resolution due to believe that the particular problems are resulted from
witchcraft practices. Under this perception it becomes difficult for the community aid
agents to determine the actual challenges and implement measures to address them. The
Table: 4.0 Percentage rates of the causes of challenges facing aged people in ECC’s in
Morogoro Municipality.
Effective and efficient involvement of elders in decision making, the research team
found that involvement of elders in decision making mainly about theirs affairs is more
important with 82% of the respondents indicating that to be involved in making decision
matters that deals with them directly could be reduced if not to eliminate the challenges
that encounters them directly. This was particularly true when the research team heard
The result shows that involvement of elders in decision making will enable them to expose
the actual challenges that affect them in different spheres of their life. Therefore the
involve elders in decision making, on development activities that obviously will boost up
their living standards. The description of the findings shown on table 4.1 below.
Establishment of caregivers training centres, The results (80%) shows that availability
caregivers. Therefore the community based organizations and the Government should
establish training centres to rescue the elderly social group within the ECC’s. The findings
xxviii
Effective implementation of elders’ guide policy, 74% of the respondents agreed that if
the 2003 elders’ policy will be implemented the vulnerable living condition among the
elders will be depleted. Most of the elders among the respondents argue that the
government pretend to love and care them by establishing elders’ care policy in 2003
while is no longer to become a law. In order for a policy to be a law must be implemented
within three years after, from being enacted. Therefore under this circumstance the elders’
care policy of 2003 is no longer viable rather it is toothless. The Government should enact
and implement effectively another policy that will promote elders care and protect elder’s
right. Also the Government should establish subsidiary laws that will privilege the elders
Establishment of ministry of elders’ affairs, the results shows that 64% of the
respondents suggested that if the Government could establish a specific ministry that will
showing in the table 3.0 below, the research team found that the elders are ambitious to be
under their ministry that could oversee their needs, wants and interests. Therefore it’s the
duty of the Government to establish ministry of elders’ affairs like Ministry of Labour and
youth development as well as ministry of gender, women and children affairs. The results
Table 4.1. Measures to be taken to mitigate the challenges facing aged people in
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YES NO YES NO
making
2. Establishment of Caregivers' training centres 40 10 80 20
The research team visited MOROPEO institution that also involves in elders caring
processes but mainly home-based care support. MOROPEO is a private institution that
most of its workers are aged people (retired ones). The study also extracted the findings on
Elders’ care centres are like prisons to elders, the study found that most of MOROPEO
leaders perceive the ECC’s in Morogoro Municipality as the special prisons of the elders.
In this case they refer those elders in ECC’s as prisoners without guilty. Therefore the
elders are no longer trust the Government if will not take measures to rescue this age
group in all affairs encounters it in all spheres. As a part of the community not only the
Government that supposed to liberate this group but also the entire community is
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Government do not value ECC’s, the findings shows that MOROPEO views ECC’s as a
project that established accidentally by Government and private organization for the
isolated group in the community. Due this accidental establishment that why the
Moreover the MOROPEO leaders propose for the Government to close those ECC’s to
eliminate the imprisonment of elders group in the community. In this perception the
Government should form responsive sight to the elders so as to return hopes of this
Some ECC’s leaders make centres as their pockets; also the MOROPEO leaders are
trustless to ECC’s management. Most of them argued that the ECC’s leaders have turned
the centres into their means of earning resources like income, food and others. This
perception is supported by the research team which found that when the community cares
agents came with various Aids most of the elders demanded to acquire it directly from the
provider rather than acquiring them indirectly from the ECC’s leaders.
Therefore the government and community agents should also improve the living standards
centres.
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CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Conclusion
The study results support some generalization that could have some important
implications for the study area and the nation at large. The main focused groups on this
study were aged people ranging from 50 years and above in ECC’s. The study results
The challenges facing aged people in ECC’s were very much knowledgeable by large
number of the elders although the community and Government seem to be blind on the
particular challenges. As the findings of data analyzed reflects that most of elders in
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ECC’s face many challenges in different spheres of life such as poor accessibility of basic
needs, poor chances in decision making, poor access of informations, poor water supply
Although elders face these challenges but poor community awareness, poor Government
support and unqualified caregivers are the major causes of the challenges. The researchers
ministry of elders affairs, effective and efficient involvement of elders in decision making,
Additionally, the researchers found that there is unrelated number of ECC’s compared to
found that there are only two ECC’s which are insufficient to accommodate this social
group.
5.2 Recommendations
The study sort to assess the challenges facing aged people in ECC’s in Morogoro
Municipality. According to the data collected by the researchers recognized that aged
people in ECC’s at the study area are facing many challenges. Hence there is a great need
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I. The Government should establish a ministry concerning elders’ affairs so as to
regulate all affairs dealing with elders including formulation and implementation
of effective and accessible elders care policy. In additional, the Government should
widen opportunities for NGO’s and other donors to effectively intervening elders
care services. Also the Government should value the contribution of ECC’s in
II. The community should effectively struggle in promoting and maintaining elders’
rights, mainly rights to access basic needs and other social services. Also the
members toward the elders. The community should keep in mind that elders care is
traditionally the duty of the community members as whole. Therefore should abide
to its responsibility.
III. The elders in Morogoro Municipality should mobilize among themselves and
creates social groups that would enable them to have a common voice to the
Government and the rest community about their rights. With the social groups also
the elders will be in a good position to help each other, to easier access of support
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APPENDIX 1: DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESPONDENTS
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D.C.http://www.aoa.gov/about/annual_report/ar_full.pdf.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research .(2002). Managing Care for Adults with
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Albert, S. et al. (2002). Effect of a social work liaison program on family caregivers to
Baumgarten, et al. (2002). Adult day care for the frail elderly: Outcomes, satisfaction, and
Burch, S and Borland, C. (2001). Collaboration, facilities and communities in day care
services for older people. Health & Social Care in the Community. 9(1):19–30.
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Care in California: Lessons on Services, Access, and Costs from Colorado, Washington,
Policies, Perceptions and Practices in 10 States Since Passage of the National Family
www.caregiver.org.
Journal of Age and Aging, (1998)‘Prevalence of chronic disease in the elderly based on a
50460.http://www.eldercare.com.my
Kothari, C.R., (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and technique. (2nd Edition).New
O'Hara, M. (2009) .Better Life project allows older people to tell it like it is. Guardian
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Second World Assembly on Ageing. (2002). Building a Society for All Ages. World
United Republic of Tanzania. (2003). The National Policy on the Ageing: The Ministry of
URT (2003) “The National Policy on the Ageing” The Ministry of Labor, Youth
URT (2002) “Integrated Labor Force Survey” The National Bureau of Statistics, Dar es
Salaam.
World Bank (2003) “A country Status Report on Health and Poverty” The World Bank,
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