Who Cares for Them?

Analysing Provision of Care and Assistance Among the Elderly People in Botswana: Communal Contextual Pastoral Theology

Abstract

Objective: This study aims at examining the provision of assistance among the elderly who are caretakers of children who are made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS.

Method: Data for this paper is drawn from the 2019 thesis study on the elderly in Botswana.

Results: Research in Botswana shows that the elderly caregivers who are looking after children affected and infected by HIV and AIDS need concrete support systems to deal with their prevalent stresses. They also need targeted and specific interventions to address their needs.

Discussion: A sense of community and communal support is still normative in the community of Botswana. However, familial support towards the elderly has since changed because of demographic changes and values. Through the usage of a Communal Contextual Pastoral Theological Approach, this paper suggests that pastoral caregivers are an integral part of the continuum of care of the elderly in Botswana. Elderly caregivers need to be nurtured and supported for the betterment of the wellbeing of everyone, including children who are both infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.