Caregiving in Sub-Saharan Africa and Older, Female Caregivers in the Era of HIV/AIDS: A Namibian Perspective

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) have created an unprecedented ‘orphan crisis’ in sub-Saharan Africa. They have had a devastating impact on elder caregivers. Over 60% of children affected by HIV/AIDS are being care for by aging, often impoverished, grandmothers (AVERT, 2015). Yet there is a dearth of empirical work on the devastating impact of this pandemic on grandmothers. This article offers an overview of the literature with respect to what is currently known about caregivers generally and, specifically, older caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa. It addresses emerging policy initiatives and service delivery strategies in Namibia. Finally, it offers suggestions for policy and practice