Family Home Caregivers for Old Persons in the Arab Region: Perceived Challenges and Policy Implications

Abstract

The profound demographic changes that the Arab region has experienced during the past few decades have led to slow, albeit noteworthy increase in the proportion of older people, which will inevitably place heavy burdens on families who are assumed the responsibility in providing care for its older members. Although there has been much research about elderly caregiving issues in other regions around the world, less is known about aging family member caregiving, the challenges that family member caregivers face in the Arab region, and the facilities provided for family support to the elderly and to the caregivers themselves. Thus, the purposes of this study are to gain an overview of the current situation of ageing and elderly family member caregiving in the Arab region; to address the challenges family caregivers face, such as necessary skills and knowledge, communication, cultural issues, health, financial burdens and enhancement of quality of life in association with their care-giving role. These challenges can negatively impact the quality of life for the caregiver and the care receiver. The importance of implementing research and policy intervention to meet these challenges for all concerned will be discussed.

Nexus Between Demographic Change and Elderly Care Need in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries: Some Policy Implications

“…Within the Arab and Middle Eastern context, the family is considered the solid foundation of population growth and has played an important role in human development (Abdelmoneium and Alharahsheh 2016 ; Hussein and Ismail 2016 ; Kuhn 2012 ; Omran and Roudi 1993 ; UNDP 2016 ). In current times, with the changing nature of economic development, family norms have sharply changed along with other demographics such as people getting married later, making frequent moves, having fewer children, and living for longer.…”

“…These changes have impacted on traditional values and cultural practices, in particular on family structures; living arrangements and structural changes in population distribution, all of which are significantly associated with population ageing (Winkler 2002 ). The Arab family structure is being threatened by all these ongoing changes that have clear implications for living arrangements and elderly care (Abdelmoneium and Alharahsheh 2016 ; El-Haddad 2003 ). Researchers are keen to understand the changing nature of family norms in various settings and how this might have influenced other developmental issues (Abdelmoneium and Alharahsheh 2016 ; Al-Kandari and Crews 2014 ).…”

Ageing in the Middle East and North Africa: A Contemporary Perspective

“…This can be tackled by redefining health and social care services by moving towards a community-based care approach. A community-based care approach is perceived by scholars and social policy makers (Abdelmoneium and Alharahsheh, 2016;Hussein and Ismail, 2016) as the best type of approach, as this concept enables health and social care programmes to be applied at a local level. More crucially, this local approach allows different social groups and institutions to work closely together.…”

“…For this to work, greater involvement from the private sector healthcare is required, as in Lebanon. There are other academic studies that call for similar changes in the elderly health care system in the region (Abdelmoneium and Alharahsheh, 2016). It will of course be essential that within state systems the needs of minorities are fully taken into account.…”

Ageing and health in the Arab region: Challenges, opportunities and the way forward

“…Hussein and Ismail (2017) provide some indication of the position of different countries in relation to three inter-related factors: proportion of older persons, female labour participation rates and gender inequality index, noting various scenarios of the relationship between ageing and competing demands on women. Whilst caregivers sometimes express positive perceptions about their role, caregiving to a cohabiting incapacitated relative is a physically and mentally arduous responsibility and carries with it significant emotional strain, foregone work and social opportunities, physical health problems and financial burdens (Seoud et al, 2007;Abdelmoneium and Alharahsheh, 2016).…”