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Social Work Response to Elder Abuse in Uganda: Voices from Practitioners
Örebro University, School of Law, Psychology and Social Work.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6144-6255
2022 (English)In: Journal of gerontological social work, ISSN 0163-4372, E-ISSN 1540-4048, Vol. 65, no 4, p. 361-381Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Social workers across the globe are at the forefront of tackling elder abuse, as they are committed to social justice, human rights, and respect for human diversity. However, research on social workers' response to elder abuse in Sub-Saharan Africa remains scarce. This qualitative study assessed how social workers in Uganda have responded to elder abuse. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 21 social workers. The findings suggest that social work in Uganda has not asserted itself in the fight against elder abuse. The few social work interventions aimed at reducing the risk of elder abuse are mostly anti-poverty undertakings. Social workers mainly discussed the drivers of elder abuse, correlating them with their interventions, and challenges such as the absence of a specific law for older people, ignorance of older people's rights, and the underreporting of elder abuse. This study found that advocacy is needed for specific laws that protect the rights of older people, along with public awareness campaigns and the establishment of a research center for aging and later life.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2022. Vol. 65, no 4, p. 361-381
Keywords [en]
Elder abuse, Uganda, human rights, older people, social justice
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-93831DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2021.1968093ISI: 000686805800001PubMedID: 34412569Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85113782497OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-93831DiVA, id: diva2:1586873
Funder
EU, Horizon 2020, 754285Available from: 2021-08-23 Created: 2021-08-23 Last updated: 2022-09-02Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Towards an Indigenised Social Work Practice to Better Address Elder Abuse and Neglect in Uganda
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Towards an Indigenised Social Work Practice to Better Address Elder Abuse and Neglect in Uganda
2022 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Understanding and addressing elder abuse in the Global South is complex as it occurs in different contexts and cultures. To be fully grasped and addressed, this problem demands indigenised theories, concepts, and models ooted in the people’s cultures and worldviews. While substantial efforts are being made to indigenise social work to tackle local challenges, there seems to be less effort to integrate indigenous concepts and theories into gerontological social work practice in Africa. This study proposes indigenised social work practices as a better alternative to Westernised interventions to address elder abuse in Uganda. It answers the principal question: How can social work develop indigenised social work practice to better address elder abuse in Uganda? The overall aim is to gain an indepth understanding of how social work practice can develop indigenised social work interventions to effectively address the abuse of older people. The thesis answers four specific questions: (1) In what ways do older people in Uganda experience abuse and how do they make sense of their experiences? (2) How do social workers respond to elder abuse in Uganda? (3) How do social workers in Uganda perceive indigenised social work practice? and (4) How can social work practice develop indigenised social work practice to better address elder abuse?

The thesis builds on semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions held with older people and social workers in the five districts of Hoima, Gulu, Luwero, Wakiso, and Jinja. The results show that participants largely viewed their abuse from a cultural perspective, contrary to the West’s perception based on a discourse of human rights. Paradoxically, most of the current safeguarding interventions fall under therapeutic, remedial, and curative approaches despite the elders’ perceptions of their abuse as a cultural problem. Results show three images of indigenised social work practice as (1) collective action and mutuality, (2) communal welfare and respect for life, and (3) liberation and restoration. These images denote the principles of the local cultures and world views. The results call for family- and community-centred approaches premised on indigenous values of togetherness, reciprocity, solidarity, responsibility, and love for humanity. The thesis concludes by proposing the need for Ubuntu-guided social work interventions, a culturally competent practice, modification of the community development approach, and emancipatory and empowerment practice.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Örebro: Örebro University, 2022. p. 140
Series
Örebro Studies in Social work, ISSN 1651-145X ; 28
Keywords
Elder abuse, Aging, Indigenous social work, Social Work, Older people, Ubuntu, indigenization, Indigenised social work, Uganda
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-98485 (URN)9789175294629 (ISBN)
Public defence
2022-09-27, Örebro universitet, Långhuset, Hörsal L2, Fakultetsgatan 1, Örebro, 09:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2022-04-06 Created: 2022-04-06 Last updated: 2022-09-07Bibliographically approved

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Wamara, Charles Kiiza

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