An opinion survey of caregivers concerning caring for the elderly in Ilorin metropolis, Nigeria

The aim of this study was to determine the opinions of caregivers towards caring for the elderly in Ilorin. The caring patterns and relationships that exist between the elderly and caregivers, caregivers' attitudes, and ways to improve care of the elderly were also examined. This cross-sectional study using structured questionnaires was conducted in seven of 11 wards within Ilorin metropolis over a 6-month period. Of the respondents, 44.4% were daughters, 18.3% were sons and only 1.4% were employees to the elderly. The majority (90.7%) of respondents chose home as the place of care, and only 9.3% opted for institutional care. The majority (98.1%) of caregivers had a positive attitude towards caring for the elderly. Religious teaching was an important influence on this positive attitude. The difference between respondents with and without formal education concerning where to care for the elderly was not statistically significant (P>0.05).