Dynamics of Ageing in Akoko Area of Ondo State Nigeria: Challenges of Public Welfare for the Aged

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigates the dynamics of ageing in Akoko Land of Ondo State Nigeria and challenges of public welfare for the aged. The Study was anchored on disengagement theory to explain the inevitable process of disengagement as a rewarding and universal that must be mutually agreed upon. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from randomly selected respondents and key informant participants numbering one hundred and forty (140). The quantitative data collected from 120 respondents were analyzed with statistical package for the social sciences, while the qualitative data collected from 20 participants were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Findings revealed that the aged were relatively neglected in term of care and social security. Majority of the respondents 94.2% agreed that extended family system alone cannot stand as a social insurance for the aged. 90% agreed that improvement in the social care and security policies across public and private organization would help to alleviate most aged poverty level. Conclusions: This study recommends, among others, that every family should extend mutual love and care gesture towards their ageing cohort, the aged should themselves engage in proper future savings and investments, while the society, through the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Government should intensify their efforts to provide social security, public infrastructure, medical facility, prompt pension and retirement benefit payment in order to assure graceful ageing for every aged cohort in the society.