A paradoxical protection: cultural contradictions and older adult abuse

Abstract

In sub-Saharan Africa, cultural norms position younger family members, particularly adult children, as lifelong caregivers for their ageing parents, a deeply respected tradition in the region. However, research shows that aged people also endure mistreatment from these same relatives. While studies have explored causes of older adult abuse, few have detailed the specific cultural factors that enable younger family members’ abusive attitudes and behaviours, as perceived by older people themselves. This study, therefore, investigated the cultural elements that the abused older people perceived shaping such attitudes and behaviours. Purposive sampling was utilised to select 34 people aged 60 years and above (one per selected family compound) in Oyo town, a historic Yoruba cultural centre in Nigeria. To collect the study data, in-depth interviews were conducted in comfortable, participant-chosen settings. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to the transcribed data. Findings, from older people’s emic perspectives, revealed that several cultural elements fostered younger family members’ abusive attitudes and behaviours towards the participants. These elements include religious attributions linking longevity to witchcraft; blaming older people for children’s misfortunes; and viewing abuse as cosmic or familial vengeance for past failings. Other factors included the "cultural bomb" of shifting from polygamous to nuclear family structures, alongside burial rites and widowhood practices. The participants perceived these elements to promote suspicion, role inversion, isolation, and normalised mistreatment—framing abuse as communal justice or spiritual defence rather than deviance. This study concluded that there were cultural elements that the participants perceived as shaping younger family members’ abusive attitudes and behaviours. These findings call for cultural interventions, such as community education led by religious leaders and various agencies, to reframe harmful cultural practices.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Geriatrics, 2026 · DOI ↗