The impact of HIV/AIDS on the living arrangements and well-being of elderly caregivers in rural Uganda

Abstract

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to devastate the sub-Saharan Africa region, the demand for care and support services to persons infected and affected by the disease is proliferating. Currently providing the bulk of this much-needed care and support are elderly persons. However, limited work has been done to examine how such care and support impacts the well-being of elderly caregivers. Using qualitative data from elderly respondents in two Ugandan districts, Kamuli and Luwero, this article examines changes in the household structure and living arrangements of older persons (50 years and above) after they take on caregiving responsibilities for persons suffering from AIDS-related illnesses and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) affected by HIV/AIDS. The findings show that elderly caregivers face drastic disruptions of living arrangements, including prolonged travels and absences from their homes to care for the sick. There is also a sharp increase in their household size as they take on more OVC. The implications of such changes on the older persons’ health and well-being are discussed.

Keywords:

• HIV/AIDS
• elderly
• caregiving
• well-being
• orphans
• Uganda

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant number 1 R03AG20813-01.