Ageing, care dependency, and care for older people in Egypt: a review of the literature

Abstract

The existing types of geriatric homes will serve as prototypes for future development. There is however, a need for additional homecare services to reduce care givers' strain in the families.

Informal and Formal Long-term Care for Frail Older Adults in Cairo, Egypt: Family Caregiving Decisions in a Context of Social Change

“…Life expectancy at birth also increased in Egypt from 62 in 1993 to 67 years in 2003 (World Health Organization [WHO] 1993[WHO] , 2004. As a result of these changes, adults over the age of 60 have become the fastest growing segment of the Egyptian population (Boggatz and Dassen 2005). Between 2000 and 2030, for example, the percentage of the Egyptian population aged 65 years or older is projected to increase from 4% to 8.7%, and the percentage aged 80 years or older should increase from 0.4% to 1.4% (US Census Bureau 2006a ,b).…”

“…In Egypt, family care of older relatives is the norm, yet extended hospitalizations and the institutionalization of frail, older adults have occurred in greater-Cairo since the 1980s (Rugh 1984). Population-based rates of institutionalization are uncertain, however, because the provision of such care often is informal and poorly documented (Margolis and Reed 2001;Boggatz and Dassen 2005). Still, its emergence provokes questions about the motivations of families to place their frail older relatives into long-term care when expectations for home-based care persist.…”

“…In Egypt, a system of obligations (wagib) forms the basis of social interactions within the immediate and extended family, and, ideally, this system ensures that the needs of individuals within Egyptian families are met (Rugh 1984;Rashad et al 2005). Public support for older adults is limited in Egypt, and families are the main, if not only, source of old-age support (Yount and Agree 2004;Boggatz and Dassen 2005). The absence of a public safety net for frail older adults underscores the importance of intergenerational support across the family life cycle.…”

Attitudes of Older Egyptians towards Nursing Care at Home: A Qualitative Study

“…In a review about ageing and care dependency in Egypt, Boggatz and Dassen (2005) focus on the demand for geriatric homes. They cite figures that indicate a slight overcapacity of the existing institutions which stands in contrast to the estimated need of care in Egypt.…”

A Prevalence Study of the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Dependency among the Elderly in Four Districts in Selangor, Malaysia

“…These disabilities can be assessed through the activities of daily living (ADL), which are routine tasks performed by each individual on a daily basis that are essential to independent living without any assistance, and involves self-care [10]. A person's ability in performing ADL is important in determining their long term care and coverage of their needs [2,11,12]. An individual with disability will have dependency that requires more help to do house chore, as well as higher needs during nursing care and hospitalization.…”