Defining old age in sub-saharan africa: the perspective of african scholars and professionals

Abstract The older adult population in Africa is projected to experience the fastest growth rate among regions in the world. Although in most Global North nations, 60-65 is considered old, the issue of what age should be accepted as “old” in Sub-Saharan Africa has remained a controversial issue with governments and scholars. The imminent increase in aging in Africa is a call for action since age definition is directly linked to access to programs and policies necessary to ensure older adults’ well-being. Through an online survey, this study investigated the perspectives of Gerontology and Social Work professionals from Sub-Saharan Africa (n=78, 55% female, age range 24-75) on what age should be accepted as “old” or “elderly” for policy development and research purposes. A descriptive analysis indicated that the most endorsed old age marker in Sub-Saharan Africa was 50 years old (33.3%) ---a full decade lower than the United Nation’s designation of old age. The primary factors respondents indicated should be considered when defining old age in Sub-Saharan Africa are health status (73.6%), retirement age (61.1%), and quality of life (56.9%). Age 60 was identified as the most appropriate age to determine eligibility for aging programs (45.1%) and for conducting research on later life (43.5%). We recommend that age guidelines used in Global South regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa should not necessarily mirror the guidelines for age used in the Global North but should fit the context of aging in those regions.