Effects of the AIDS epidemic and the Community Home-Based Care programme on the health of older Batswana

Several recent studies have focussed on the needs and problems of different demographic groups pertaining to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana. However, none has paid particular attention to the impact of the epidemic on older persons, with specific reference to the Community Home-Based Care (CHBC) programme. This paper examines the experience of older Batswana of the AIDS epidemic, briefly describes the nature of the CHBC programme, and critically examines the social-psychological, economic and health implications of the programme for older persons, with specific reference to their role as primary caregivers to persons with AIDS and AIDS orphans. The dynamics of problems of the CHBC programme are analysed and solutions to the problems are suggested