PERCEIVED QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE AGED WITH DISABILITY IN SELECTED DISTRICTS IN THE UPPER WEST REGION OF GHANA

ABSTRACT The rate at which people age with disability is increasing with respect to the growing aged population in Ghana. This increasing number of the aged with disability is occurring at a time when there is declining social support for the aged in the Ghanaian traditional family system. The main objective of this study was to assess the perceived overall Quality of Life (QOL) of the aged with disability in the Wa Municipality, Nadowli-Kaleo, Jirapa and Wa East districts in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study was guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. The quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. Questionnaires, In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) guides were used to collect the data. The study surveyed 810 respondents, interviewed 20 key informants (IDIs) and 62 adult care-givers participated in the FGDs. The Kruskal -Wallis statistical test was used to analyse the data. The study found that the aged with disability who were aged 60 – 69 years and those who were married had the highest mean scores in overall QOL. This notwithstanding, the study revealed that the overall QOL of the aged with disability was generally low and this reflected in their physical, psychological, social relations and environmental health QOL. The study recommends that family members, the government and non-governmental organisations should endeavour to provide physical, psychological, social relations and environmental health needs of the aged with disability. This could be provision of food, medical aids, counselling and leisure centres for the aged with disability.