AGING WITH DIGNITY: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS IN ENHANCING ELDERLY QUALITY OF LIFE IN IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria’s rapidly aging population presents a formidable challenge to existing socialwelfare architecture, particularly within rapidly urbanizing southwestern cities such as Ibadan, OyoState. This study examined the role of social welfare programs in enhancing the quality of life ofelderly persons in Ibadan, with specific attention to health care access, social support structures,and economic security provisions. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 384elderly respondents aged 60 years and older, selected using a multi-stage stratified random samplingtechnique. Four validated instruments were used: the WHOQOL-BREF scale, the Social SupportSurvey (SSS), the Economic Security Questionnaire (ESQ), and the Social Welfare ProgramAccessibility Scale (SWPAS). Healthcare access significantly predicted quality of life (β = .48, B= 0.62, p < .001), explaining 41% of variance (R² = .41). Social support showed strong positivecorrelations with psychological well-being (r = .53), social relationships (r = .61), and overallquality of life (r = .59), all p < .001. Economic security was significantly associated withenvironmental quality of life (r = .58) and total quality of life (r = .54), p < .001. Quality of lifediffered significantly by welfare participation level, F(2,381) = 18.43, p < .001, with meansincreasing from low (51.4) to moderate (57.8) to high (65.3), confirming a dose-response effect.These findings hold critical implications for policy reform, social work intervention, and thereimagination of elderly care in Nigeria. The study recommends the expansion of the NationalHome Care Programme, strengthening of the National Social Investment Programme, andintegration of gerontological social work competencies into professional training curricula.