Caring for the elderly in Malawi

Categories: Care.

The needs of older people

Older people have always had a prominent place in our home-based care (HBC) programme here at Chipini Health Centre. The programme, using trained volunteers in the villages, was started in 1992 in response to the HIV pandemic. The elderly bore the great burden of caring for their sick and dying children and then caring for the orphans. Our volunteers identified the orphans and the elderly and cared for them in their villages, assisting in any way they could.

Martha* is a grandmother here. Her grandson, John, was one of our first children with HIV to be treated with antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). There were no medicines made especially for children in the early days. Martha slowly learned how to break the pills and to give John his medicines regularly. It took a long time with patient explanation, coaxing, and encouraging, but eventually she and John succeeded. John is now at school and doing well.

More recently, the provision of palliative care was consolidated at the health centre. It focuses on all who suffer from terminal or life-threatening illnesses and chronic pain. The HBC volunteers and all the staff received training. The majority of patients in our programme are older men and women. They often find themselves without family members around them. Their children, if they had any, have either died or left the area seeking a better life. Many elderly are now cared for by young people for whom they initially cared – the orphans. They continue to farm until aches and pains no longer allow them to do so. Because they lack resources and energy to travel to the health facility, they suffer in silence, waiting for the HBC volunteer to come.

Volunteers do a basic examination and check vital signs. They make a diagnosis as far as possible and give treatment. They provide simple pain relief from their kits. Many older people are malnourished and we provide supplemental feeding with soya flour, which they add to their meals.

Hypertension is very common and those who have suffered from a stroke as a result, require much care. They are blessed if they have a dedicated relative to help. We provide blankets and mats for beds when we can. When they need care themselves, our older people still look after orphans who have no one else to turn to. They continue to serve into their old age. They deserve honour and respect for the great contribution they have made in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. While their reward will be great in heaven, we must also care for them now.

*All the names in this article have been changed.

**This article first appeared in the MMM newsletter. 

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