Caring for HIV‐positive orphans in the context of HIV and AIDS: perspectives of Botswana grandmothers

Abstract

Nurses working with older people caring for HIV positive orphans need to develop culturally sensitive HIV education programs that address needs specific to.

“Knowledge I seek because culture doesn’t work anymore … It doesn’t work, death comes”: The experiences of third generation female caregivers (“gogos”) in South Africa discussing sex, sexuality and HIV and AIDS with children in their care

“…A number of studies in South Africa have commented on the importance of the extended family and caregivers other than parents (23,24,26,27,28). In addition, this study supported ndings in other research (17,22) for the need for healthcare providers and programs to recognise that there are differences in SRH communication and conversations between parents and grandparents. Aubel (2005) showed that the concern that grandmothers might be biased and unable to adapt to new ideas was incorrect and that this should not be a reason that interventions do not make use of older people as drivers in community and family-based interventions (29).…”

“…In addition, this study found that the age and frailty of grandparents as caregivers makes older caregivers' experiences unique (13).Generational differences present their own speci c challenges for example, child discipline and disharmony in the family in intergenerational relationships (13). As a result, grandparents may not feel prepared to conduct SRH conversations which is and di culties are exacerbated by the lack of resources to assist and prepare grandparents for SRH conversations (15,22).…”

“…Studies looking at the role of grandmothers and SRH I In sub-Saharan Africa, found that grandmothers can play an important role in the SRH behaviour and choices of children in their care (20)(21)(22). In a Ghanaian project, grandmothers served as important resources for in a project with adolescents aimed at reducing HIV infection and unintended pregnancy in adolescents, and ndings showed that both grandmothers and adolescents young people and elders found the project's intergenerational activities bene cial (20).…”

“…Both the trained agogos who had been trained, and the girls they counselled, were more comfortable with SRH communication and more likely to have interactive SRH discussions (21). Meanwhile, in Botswana grandmothers raising HIV-positive children found SRH conversations with these children communication about sexuality and adolescent pregnancies were very di cult due to cultural beliefs and that programmes to support these conversations between grandmothers and children were needed to address the needs of grandmothers in particular (22).…”

Sociodemographic Factors and Health-Related Characteristics That Influence the Quality of Life of Grandparent Caregivers in Zimbabwe

“…The change of roles is likely to affect the older caregivers’ quality of life (QOL), particularly when they are income insecure. Literature is replete with burdens of HIV and AIDS and income insecurity across many sub-Saharan African countries including Zimbabwe ( Aboderin & Beard, 2014 ; Aransiola, Akinyemi, Akinlo, & Togonu-Bickesteeth, 2017 ; Hondras et al, 2015 ; Mhaka-Mutepfa, Cumming, & Mpofu, 2014 ; Mhaka-Mutepfa, Hunter, Mpofu, & Cumming, 2016 ; Shaibu, 2016 ). Income insecurity also affects the children in the aging adult’s care because 50% to 60% of orphans live with grandparents ( Murray et al, 2012 ; United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS [ UNAIDS], 2015 ) in sub-Saharan African settings.…”