Barriers to Active Aging in Rural Ethiopia: A Call for a Paradigm Shift to a Rights-Based Approach

ABSTRACT

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 Active Aging Framework: 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.

KEYWORDS:

• Africa
• active aging
• rural aging
• qualitative analysis
• intergenerational solidarity
• Active Aging Framework
• Ethiopia

Key points

• Rural older adults in Ethiopia face multiple barriers to active aging

• Lack of access to health care exacerbates older adults’ declining health

• The absence of government benefits leaves older adults financially insecure

• Rampant ageism contributes to older adults’ social exclusion

• A rights-based approach is needed to ensure older adults’ well-being in Ethiopia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.