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Toward a national policy for the elderly in Ghana

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  • Ghana
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Abstract

In this article, author Osei Darkwa discusses the need for the creation of a national policy to guide policy makers in addressing issues and challenges confronting the elderly in Ghana. It begins by providing a brief sociodemographic profile of the elderly Ghanaian population, then discusses the issues and challenges confronting this population. The article proposes the creation of a national policy—the Older Ghanaians Services Act—to be the framework for the creation of an array of programs and community-based services to address contemporary and emerging needs of elderly Ghanaians. Specific services such as adult day care, housing, transportation, health care, and longterm care are discussed. Finally, the article urges policy makers to seeks partners with businesses, corporations, religious institutions, local communities, and the private sector in creating programs geared toward meeting the needs of elderly Ghanaians.

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Darkwa, O. Toward a national policy for the elderly in Ghana. Ageing Int. 25, 31–45 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-999-1003-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-999-1003-7

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