The Forgotten Few: The Social Context of Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease in Jordan
The Forgotten Few: The Social Context of Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease in Jordan
Sahar Al-Makhamreh, Fadia Hasna & Eman Al-Khateeb
Princess Rahma University College Al Balqa Applied University, Amman Faculty of Nursing Philadelphia University, Amman Faculty of Medicine University of Jordan, Amman
Introduction
According to the UN (2009) 5.5% of Jordan's current 6 million inhabitants are over the age of 60, and this is expected to increase dramatically by 2050. We estimate that there are currently 16,500 people with clinically significant Alzheimer's disease and this will increase over the next forty years during which time the availability of younger people to care for them decreases. This demographic revolution has important implications socially, politically, culturally and in terms of the demands made upon formal (and informal) social institutions that provide care and support for older people. The care of older people with dementia is particularly current given the various social changes in Jordan that are impacting on the ability of the family and religious leaders to meet the needs of individuals with complex needs, and challenging long-established views regarding when and how to engage others in private matters (Sullivan et al., 2010).
The purpose of this paper is to introduce some of the implications of an ageing population in Jordan, including attention to issues relevant to the provision of social work, medical and nursing services. In doing so, the paper draws attention to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias as a key consideration for policy and service development. The paper also introduces issues pertaining to health and social inequalities in the Jordanian context and their impact on healthy ageing.
