The Influence of Public Perception of Primary Care Givers on the Uptake of Institutionalized Care in Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

Globally, few of the older people have access to institutional care homes for older people and African lags behinds. Nearly half of the population of the elderly people in the developed world have access to these services but actual percentage of African older people who have access to the services is not clearly documented. It is however believed to be below 5%. This study sought to determine whether primary care givers have an influence on the decision to enroll the elderly people in formal care homes. The study engaged 400 respondents from Nakuru County, who were selected through purposive and stratified random sampling. Data for the study was collected through the use of questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The results reveal that actually, the decision to enroll the elderly persons to care homes lies outside the purview of the primary care givers. It could be a societal issue beyond the sole decision of a primary care giver. The paper therefore recommends that deeper societal understanding be made on the perception on this subject rather than narrowing the scope to primary care givers’ attributes.