Navigating the Challenges of Aging: A Study on Life Satisfaction and Support Expectation among Older Adults in Nigeria

Abstract

This chapter highlights about life Satisfaction and Support Expectation among Older Adults in Nigeria. Life satisfaction has recently been introduced as the best indicator of the quality of life. Satisfaction with life is a kind of general and deep inner happiness that emanates from individual experiences in the outside world. Life satisfaction is considered as a subjective concept that assesses several dimensions including health, psychological, and social in older people’s life, it could be an indispensable part of successful aging This observatory, cross sectional study was carried out at the Geriatric clinic of the Department of Family Medicine, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti over a three month period (October 2022-December 2022). A total of 128 subjects participated in the study out of which 28.9% were satisfied with life. Expectation of support was mainly from the family, less from the community and very low from the government. The level of support received from all sources generally fell short of expectations. Marital status and source of livelihood were significantly associated with life satisfaction. There is inadequate social support from the government and support from family and community fell below expectations. The higher dissatisfaction with life among pensioners may equally be related to income as government do not pay pensioner as at when due and there is no so-cial insuran            ce for the older adults in Nigeria. The strongest correlation between expectations of support and life satisfaction was found. In order to fulfill older folks' expectations and raise their degree of life satisfaction, support needs to be provided.