The Importance of Gerontology in Modern Universities in the African Continent

Abstract

The twenty first century has placed gerontology as highly important which stems mainly from the fact that it allows for the germane researches that can benefit the aged populations of the African continent. It has raised to prominence in the Western countries because of its accommodative eminence that allows for biological, sociological, political, social and economic aspects that affect the aged population in both the North and South. Research in the field of gerontology can guide the universities to provide the best programmes that will equip the organisations to best cater for the aged populations that in most instances vulnerable. Most often than not, the aged populations do not receive the care and scientific prescriptions that could ameliorate their living conditions. It is very important to state that most universities in the African continent do not have programmes in gerontology, through which scientific researchers can be engaged to generate knowledge that can enhance the identity of the field. The elderly are often lowly regarded by their communities and remain vulnerable despite massive contributions that they make and through sharing knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary for the economic, political, educational, technological, social advancement of their countries. The challenges of senility and senescence that are associated with old age should be researched on so that they are impact on the elderly can be understood. The African universities should shoulder the responsibilities for knowledge creation in the field of gerontology for the benefit of both the elderly and practitioners.

The paper is intended to show the importance of gerontology and how its association with adult education can benefit the elderly who are most often neglected.

Keywords: Gerontology, Biological, Sociological, Political, Economic, Universities, African Continent, Adult Education and Aged Population.

1. Introduction

It is important to note that the advancement in western medicine has resulted in the improvement of life expectancy in most parts of the world including in the African continent. This means more people grow to become septuagenarians (seventy to seventy-nine years old) and beyond. It is therefore important for more knowledge to be availed to meet the exigencies of the elderly, hence the need for the popularisation of gerontology in institutions of higher learning alongside adult education, adult learning, lifelong learning, non-formal education and continuing education. As noted by the Gerontological Society of America¹ Gerontology is the study of aging processes and individuals across the life course. The Gerontological Society of America further elaborates that gerontology studies physical, mental, and social changes in people as they age, investigates the changes in society resulting from the aging population and the application of that knowledge to policies and programs. It is important to note that the aging population is often neglected and least understood in the Africa continent, where less resources are spent in research compared to America and European continents.

It is therefore undisputable that the need for more knowledge on aging should be generated and disseminated by universities for the benefit of the elderly people themselves and policy makers who should meet their exigencies. Most importantly, the apt programmes in gerontology should be designed to equip practitioners with knowledge, skills and apposite attitudes for the profession. The universities in Africa as in other parts of the world provide the necessary training, professional services and community services for social transformation, which cannot be achieved with the exclusion of the adult populations.

The universities in Africa should enhance and foster transformative paths to ascertain that people age gracefully, instead of getting ridiculed and in some cases labelled by superstitious communities as witches and wizards. As observed by Karger² understanding the mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases has become an urgent matter given the growing proportion of older adults in the population. This book chapter is meant to advocate for gerontology in African universities because of its importance in helping the adult population.

2. Psychological Facets of Aging

It is important to note that people face psychological challenges as they age partly because their body parts deteriorate, making them more vulnerable. As noted by UF Health³ everyone must contend with physical and mental declines as they age, not to mention the growing risk of getting attacked by diseases. Life events, such as retirement, relocation and the death of loved ones often take their toll on aging individuals. Some elderly people are thanatophobia, (fear of death), which often make them more anxious when their age mates or partners pass on. This happens because of their frail bodies and the understanding that they are mortals. In most cases the elderly see themselves as being next on the queue of the dying, which frustrates those of them who are thanatophoric or fear their demise. As observed by Cleveland clinic⁴ one study suggests that elderly people are more likely to fear the dying process, while young adults are more likely to fear death itself. Another study found that the children of elderly parents actually had a higher level of death anxiety than their parents, peaking at around middle age. It is important to note that the fear of death has negative psychological effects on the elderly, which can cause them not to relate to their milieus with the required level of confidence and to lead their lives meaningfully. The adults because of the fear of death may spend their lives not as sociable and interactive as they would otherwise be. They may not participate in the learning activities that are designed for them, as they may feel they will die and therefore not benefit from the knowledge and skills that they will have acquired.

The departure to the envisaged but unknown destinations brings psychological torment on them. According to Ohio University⁵ Gero psychology is a specialty of psychology that applies clinical psychology and research to the population of older adults. Gero psychologists address a variety of issues that affect older adults, such as loss of loved ones, relocation, medical conditions, and changes in employment status, memory, and family relationships. It is therefore important for African universities to offer courses such as Gero psychology that students can enrol for and become Gero psychologists upon completion. The research projects that would be undertaken will contribute to the knowledge base and influence decisions that should benefit the adult population in the African continent, which due to its cultural beliefs does in some cases abuse the elderly members of the communities, claiming that they are sorcerers. It is common in some communities in Africa for elderly people to get accused of witchcraft that casts spells of misfortunes on other people. As noted by Motsoeneng⁶ Characteristics of the elderly, commonly used to accuse people of witchcraft (such as old age, bad health, red or yellow eyes, wrinkled skin, missing teeth, or a hunched- back stance), are impossible for them to escape.

Some common diseases amongst the elderly people compromise their cognitive abilities, which can result in them not identifying where they are. They often get lost and stray into places where they are not supposed to be. They often get lost and their situation strengthens the claims that they come into places where they are not supposed to be because of witchcraft. According to Hyung Hong et. al⁷ a few recent studies suggest that anaemia or abnormal haemoglobin concentrations are associated with an increased risk for dementia and rapid cognitive decline among the elderly. It is important to note that symptoms of dementia are memory problems, particularly remembering recent events, increasing confusion, reduced concentration, personality or behaviour changes, apathy and withdrawal or depression and loss of ability to do everyday tasks. As a result of the challenges associated with declining cognitive aptitude, more studies are necessary to determine how best the communities in Africa can be educated in order to best know how to relate with the elderly people.

More knowledge about what the elderly people experience has the potential to make them receive appropriate and timely interventions than to have their conditions aggravated because of lack of support from professionals, such as psychologists in universities. As stated by Olajide and Ayantunji⁸ ageing occur as a result of cessation of cell division that takes place in the human beings. Today, ageing and anti-aging have become a global phenomenon and the endless struggle against becoming old and the refusal to accept changes in the body.

The elderly often feel neglected and therefore vulnerable, which requires support from institutions with perfect professional understanding. This should be understood as a requirement for more research by institutions. It is disquieting that African institutions unlike those in Europe, Asia and America, do not conduct research that can provide comprehensive findings and recommendations for the field of gerontology. The establishment of centres is viewed as important in enriching the field of gerontology and adult education, hence both fields becoming pivotal and at the centre stage of making aging a successful process. It is important to state that the existence of successful ageing theory has made gerontology even more relevant. As noted by Annele, Satu and Timo⁹ successful ageing has become an important concept to describe the quality of ageing. It is a multidimensional concept, and its main focus is how to expand functional years in a later life span. It is important for Africa universities to participate in research projects that can answer some of the questions that require scientific findings. In America for instance, as stated by Gibbons¹⁰, the basic research at molecular level aimed at preventing the degenerative diseases of old age- or actually postponing the aging process itself is what gerontological researchers are working on. Using the tools of molecular biology, they are teasing out the many factors that cause cells to “senesce”.

The concept has developed from a biomedical approach to a wider understanding of social and psychological adaptation processes in later life. The understanding of gerontology can be achieved through the establishment of centres within the universities in Africa, the purpose of which should be to conduct research projects that are particularly designed to provide better understanding of psychological developments pertaining to ageing. Interestingly, as observed by Guerrero, Huerta and Pourat¹¹, the centres should be designed to enhance the diversity of the aging research workforce by mentoring promising scientists from under-represented groups for sustained careers in aging research in priority areas of social, behavioural, and economic research on aging. It is important to note that gerontological studies should be given due priority because as noted by Booker caring for older adults in a global context requires knowledge and understanding of cultures and their values and practices. With a growing population of diverse older adults, there is a need for incorporation of more gerontological education in nursing curricula and clinical experiences. The need for the development of theories is critical in institutions of higher learning, if gerontology is to have an enriched knowledge base through research. Theory as stated by Alley, Putney, Rice and Bengtson¹² serves at least three critical purposes in research on aging: to guide research questions and hypotheses, to help explain research findings, and to inform interventions to solve aging-related problems. Even if they are not made explicit, theoretical orientations and assumptions influence the research questions we select and the methods we use to address them.

The field of psychology and adult education can both immensely benefit from centres that are gerontological and based on what adults in Africa can identify with because of the contextual relevance. In South Africa, the South African Journal of Gerontology does publish articles. However, over a decade or longer, authors have experienced difficulty in having research published in international journals. A lack of two-way exposure during this period stunts the development of gerontology in the country. The lack of international recognition of articles written in the Republic of South Africa by South African Journal of Gerontology points to how African contributions to the field of gerontology is compromised both continentally and internationally. This provides justification for more research in the field of gerontology by African scholars and researchers, so that the necessary influence globally can be achieved. According to National Research Council¹³, in sub-Saharan Africa, older people are supported primarily by family and other kinship networks. They have traditionally been viewed as repositories of information and wisdom, and are critical pillars of the communities. It is important for universities to make sure that elderly people who possess very important knowledge and skills are provided with opportunities through which they can enrich posterity.

The arrangement has the potential to particularly preserve indigenous knowledge that most African communities are struggling to keep and pass from generation to generation. As noted by Knopf¹⁴, according to a Western logo-centric and Carte-Newtonian understanding of the academy, sciences, and humanities, indigenous knowledge is viewed as primitive, folkloric, anecdotal, unscientific, a methodological, insignificant, and lacking scientific rigor and objectivity. The gerontological studies should be more accommodative of indigenous knowledge because that is beneficial for the elderly people, who in most instances possess knowledge and skills that are germane for their respective communities but are lowly regarded by professionals who hold exotic contributions in high regard. The prejudice towards the elderly is often perpetuated by professionals and non-professionals alike, leading Raynolds, Jeste, Sachdev, and Blazer¹⁵ to state that, aging and older adults are often discussed by the general public and the media using negative stereotypes, such as a decline in mental and cognitive function. Unfortunately, this type of pejorative view of later life may be internalized by older individuals themselves and enacted, creating a vicious circle resulting in poor mental health.

It is important to acknowledge that the elderly people are well experienced in most areas because of the experiments that they would have undertaken at the time they reach their advanced ages. In most African communities’ elderly people would have knowledge of indigenous plants and their medicinal properties because of having used them for a lengthy duration. The traditional healers in African communities are often versed with important skills such as surveying of water, midwifery, reading of stars and application of tourniquets on fractured people and animals. It is worthy to note that the elderly are vulnerable and often get fractured because as they age their bones become weaker. According to Chapurlat¹⁶ for instance, roughly half the women who have reached menopause have fragility fractures. Such fractures impose major burdens, such as complications, cost, and death. A variety of effective therapies are available, yet in general they are underused. It is important for research projects to be conducted by African universities to unearth the reasons for the underutilisation of therapies as alluded to by Chapurlat.

The gerontological studies are important in identifying how such knowledge get affected when stored over a lengthy period of time by elderly people. An investment by universities in research projects that identify how information gets processed by the adults is important in making sure that they avoid those activities that can compromise their knowledge retention processes. The healthcare system should be accommodative of geriatrics, which is a medical specialty focused on care and treatment of elderly people. The nursing departments do exist within universities in Africa, making it important for such entities to undertake research projects in gerontology, which can benefit the African institutions and the entire continent. In driving the point home, Carson-Newman University¹⁷ noted that gerontology nursing programs should provide nursing students with knowledge and skills that allow them to deal with stressful events such as patients’ deaths and enable them to recover from depression quickly.

Amongst the interesting studies that can also be undertaken in the field of gerontology is the review of the literature by reputable scholars such as Elie Metchnikoff (1845-1916). Evidently, Elie Metchnikoff (1845–1916), is known to bethe father of gerontology and is celebrated to have discovered phagocytosis, which can form a bases for more research. More research projects are necessary by universities in Africa to generate more knowledge on phagocytosis and how it can benefit the adult population. As noted by Uribe-Querol and Rosales¹⁸, professional phagocytes are responsible for removing microorganisms and of presenting antigens to lymphocytes in order to activate an adaptive immune response. Fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells can also accomplish phagocytosis with low-efficiency and are thus described as non-professional phagocytes. These cells cannot ingest microorganisms, but are important in eliminating dead cells and maintaining homeostasis. The need for demystification of phagocytosis cannot be overemphasised because better understanding has the potential to motivate more research for the benefit of gerontology.

3. Social Facets of Aging

It is clear that gerontology has developed much interest in the social dimension of aging and the reasons are obvious. The elderly people are part of communities and play crucial functions that cannot be ignored. As noted by Kricheldorff, Kirsten, Himmelsbach, and Thiesemann¹⁹ social gerontology is seen as a science-based but application-oriented sub-discipline of gerontology. It focuses particularly on social relationships in old age, social participation of elderly and old people and the protection of their individual needs. It is evident that social gerontology requires more research, so that gaps that currently exist can be addressed. The reliant of gerontology on literatures generated by other areas of study calls for institutions in Africa to strength the field of gerontology through contributions that are research informed. As indicated by Rose²⁰:

A new field of research, especially one dealing with a social problem, is likely to emerge without using any explicit theory, and then gradually to adapt general theoretical formulations already in use in kindred fields. Thus, the earliest research in social gerontology was descriptive in character, but soon concepts like “adjustment,” “role changes,” “loss of roles,” “changing self- concept” were borrowed from symbolic-interactionist theory in social psychology-a theoretical position to which many of the early social gerontologists adhered.

Evidently, noting from what Rose pointed out, the need for more research to enrich social gerontology cannot be overemphasised. This calls for African institutions to embark on researches that could benefit the ageing individuals within the communities. The African gerontologists according to Adamek, Kotecho, Chane and Gebeyaw²¹ have identified the following areas as requiring due attention: The key challenges of African older adults as noted by scholars were poverty and lack of aging professionals, lack of governments attention to aging issues, lack of funding by governments to establish international partnerships remain as key concerns. It also emerged that the assets of sub-Saharan African older adults need to be considered in development efforts and gerontology networks in sub-Saharan Africa, to plan for the coming demographic shift. The populations of elderly people are viewed and treated differently by different cultures making social gerontology much more important as a branch of broader gerontology.

The problem of social exclusion is a challenge that social gerontologists are concerned about, which dictates that more research be conducted to broaden understanding of the problems that victims of social exclusion experience. As observed by Wethington, Pillermer and Principi²² social exclusion among older adults include aging-related characteristics such as deteriorating health, retirement, decreases in income, separation from former social networks, discrimination and prejudice against older people (ageism), and lack of community resources that promote interaction with others. Older adults with a lifetime of material disadvantage are particularly at risk for social exclusion.

It is the understanding of the importance of building a relationship with the ancestors that pre-occupy the elderly in some African communities in most cases, when they feel that their demise is approaching. This arrangement constitutes indigenous knowledge that requires to be studied formally with the aim of beefing up African literature on death and ancestry. The studies should provide important knowledge for social gerontology. The influences that the connection of the living to the ancestors should not be undermined, as it forms the cardinal position that some Africans hold in high regard as their social beliefs. Such beliefs influence their behaviour and cannot therefore be disregarded, if African institutions are to become more contextually relevant and responsive to the needs of the communities in which they operate.

4. Economic Facets of Aging