Insights into caregivers’ perspectives on abuse of older persons: a qualitative exploratory study in southwest Nigeria

OBJECTIVE: Elder abuse perpetration by caregivers is well documented, particularly from the perspectives of older persons who are victims of abuse. However, few studies in Nigeria have examined the caregivers’ viewpoints. This study explored the perception about the perpetration of elder abuse perpetration among adults aged 18–59 in Nigeria. DESIGN: Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this study generated data through four in-depth interviews (IDIs) and eight focus group discussions (FGDs). All IDIs and FGDs were audiorecorded, transcribed coded and analysed thematically with Atlas ti. SETTING: Rural and urban communities in Oyo State, southwest Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: 73 purposively selected adults who had provided care for or lived near an older person in southwestern Nigeria. RESULTS: Types of elder abuse identified were verbal (grumbling, insulting, snapping and shouting at older persons), physical (shoving and beating an older person) and neglect (refusing to render assistance, cook or carry out chores for an older person). Participants believed relatives of older persons were unlikely to perpetrate abuse compared with neighbours and paid caregivers. They, however, felt that people whose parents had maltreated them during childhood could perpetrate abuse especially neglect of their older parents. Identified possible provocation for abuse included an unkempt physical appearance, poor attitude or offensive behaviour in the older person. Participants further opined that lack of communal unity or mutual respect, loss of moral ideals and religious values and erosion of cultural values could also provide an environment where elder abuse can thrive. CONCLUSION: Interventions for community-level prevention of elder abuse can leverage on the identified moral and religious values, relationship and cultural factors for successful deployment.