Association between Support and Satisfaction with Life among Older Adults in Ekiti, Nigeria: Findings and Implications

Abstract

Many developing countries like Nigeria lack policy for the care of the older adults and this creates major challenges for the elderly population. The traditional family institution and community support that used to be safety nest are being adversely affected by westernization. This development might have adverse effect on life satisfaction among the older adults. This hospital based cross-sectional study was designed to determine the association between support and life satisfaction among older adults. A total of 128 subjects participated in the study out of which 28.9% were satisfied with life. Expectation of support was mainly from the family, less from the community and very low from the government. The level of support received from all sources generally fell short of expectations. Marital status and source of livelihood were significantly associated with life satisfaction. There is inadequate social support from the government and support from family and community fell below expectations. Expectations of support were the most strongly correlated with life satisfaction. Support for older adults must be addressed in order to meet their expectations and improve their level of satisfaction with life.

Examining the indirect effects of life satisfaction and perceived social support on selection optimization compensation and PTSD among the senior citizens of Ekiti State: A moderated mediation approach

“…Our study’s findings indicate that life satisfaction decreases with age (65-74, 75-84, 85+), with the oldest-old (85+) being the least satisfied. These findings resonate with previous studies in Ekiti State (Adebayo & Arogundarde, 2011; Aina et al, 2023), affirming the consistency of our results with those of the southwestern State of Nigeria. This observation accentuates the challenges posed by resource constraints among these golden-agers.…”

“…Such findings accentuate the importance of policy initiatives and interventions to enhance the mental well-being of older individuals in resource-constrained settings such as the Ekiti State. The consistency of these findings with those of prior studies in Ekiti State and southwestern Nigeria (Adebayo & Arogundarde, 2011; Aina et al, 2023) strengthens the robustness and validity of the results. This finding suggested that the observed age-related decrease in life satisfaction is not an isolated phenomenon but aligns with broader regional studies.…”

“…In hypothesis five, we explore the intricate relationship between life satisfaction and PTSD among senior citizens in the Ekiti State. Recent research has pointed to decreasing life satisfaction among senior citizens in southwestern Nigeria (Adebayo & Arogundarde, 2011; Aina et al, 2023). In contrast, Western societies and Europe have witnessed stable and even peak mental health outcomes among older adults characterized by increased well-being later in life and reduced experiences of negative emotions and daily life stressors (Carstensen et al, 2003; Carstensen et al, 1999; Fung et al, 2008; Gross et al, 1997; Stawski et al, 2008; Charles et al, 2001).…”

“…Moreover, as the population of older adults grows, they are considered to face challenges related to their mental health conditions, especially life satisfaction (LS). It has been reported that senior citizens in Ekiti State are experiencing a decrease in life satisfaction (Arogundade and Adebayo (2011; Aina et al, 2023), with growth in older adults and decrease in mental health facilities (Chima et al, 2022). Indeed, this is the opposite of what is happening in Europe or Western society.…”

“…A more recent cross-sectional study of hospitalized patients was designed to determine the association between social support and life satisfaction among older adults in Ekiti State. The results showed that 73.8% of the senior citizens were dissatisfied with their lives, and a factor associated with their dissatisfaction was the lack of government support wherein 81% of the senior citizens depend on their relationships for support (Aina et al, 2023). The findings from these studies indicate that there are low levels of life satisfaction in Ekiti State, and the factors contributing to life dissatisfaction are loneliness, childlessness, and lack of government support.…”