International Journal of Academic Research in Public Policy and Governance

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A Qualitative Review of Ghana’s Elderly Care Policy: A Grounded Theory Approach Using EU’s “CARMEN” Model

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Ethel Yiranbon, Zhou Lulin, Henry Asante Antwi, Emmanuel Opoku Marfo, Kwame Oduro Amoako, Daniel Kwame Offin

Pages 91-116 Received: 01 Jun, 2014 Revised: 13 Jul, 2014 Published Online: 29 Aug, 2014

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPPG/v1-i1/988
The dramatic demographic change in the population of older persons is occurring in the context of globalization and socio-economic challenges, deterioration of cultural values and morals, spreading of HIV/AIDS pandemic and other diseases. This definitely calls for effective and carefully thought out policy interventions to take advantage of the several opportunities that come with it and reduce its negative impact on the development of our country. Ghana’s response to the UNFPA recommendation led to the adoption of the National Ageing Policy for the country in July 2010. The policy has all the elements of the Madrid Plan of Action that qualifies its sub-caption to be rendered as Ageing in Security and Dignity. This study takes a look at the national policy from a grounded theory approach. It adopts qualitative research by interviewing directors of strategic ministries connected to the national ageing policy and other agencies, NGOs and religious organisations that have been assembled as active part of the responsibility of taking care of the elderly by the policy. This study seeks to compare the current policy with other policies currently in operation elsewhere especially the EU to determine the degree of integrated-ness and efficacy of Ghana’s national ageing policy. We argue that Ghana’s elderly care policy is well crafted and has integrated both domestic and national variables towards effective management of elderly in society. However, the elders are not involved in developing. The elders are not involved in managing the policy, the elders are not involved in reviewing the policy, the elders are not aware of its content and what is due them, there is weak institutional and resource support to implementing the policy and there is no legally binding responsibility on governments to implement the policy. Further it has been noted that there is weak regulation and inspection of implementation of policy and a weak evaluation and monitoring process of the policy. There is the need to urgently redesign our policy to accommodate the deficit.
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In-Text Citation: (Yiranbon, Lulin, Antwi, Amoako, & Offin, 2014)
To Cite this Article: Yiranbon, E., Lulin, Z., Antwi, H. A., Amoako, E. O. M. K. O., & Offin, D. K. (2014). A Qualitative Review of Ghana’s Elderly Care Policy: A Grounded Theory Approach Using EU’s “CARMEN” Model. International Journal of Academic Research in Public Policy and Governace, 1(1), 91–116.