Care
By Mujidat Oyewole
Ilorin, Dec. 12, 2025 (NAN) A public health expert, Prof. Ibraheem AbdulRaheem of the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin (Unilorin), has called for improved geriatric care services to support healthy ageing in Nigeria.
AbdulRaheem made the call on Thursday while delivering the institution’s 294th Inaugural Lecture titled “Multifaceted Complexity of Ageing: The Need for Strengthening Geriatric Care.”
He said ageing required more attention due to its impact on health, livelihood, and national development.
According to him, biological ageing refers to the natural changes that occur in the human body over time, while geriatric epidemiology applies scientific methods to study the health, diseases and functional abilities of older adults.
The expert described ageing as a time-related deterioration of physiological functions necessary for survival, which could be viewed objectively, subjectively, and functionally depending on individual experiences and societal expectations.
He explained that objectively, ageing began at birth and progressed chronologically; subjectively, it was influenced by behavioural and self-perception changes; while functionally, it reflected an individual’s ability to play social roles and perform daily activities.
AbdulRaheem said that ageing involved physical, psychological, and social changes that gradually reduced the body’s capacity for survival.
He warned that the global elderly population was rising rapidly, with those aged 60 and above projected to increase significantly in the coming years.
He said the trend was already evident in Nigeria, stressing the need for proactive planning to safeguard older adults’ wellbeing and ensured sustainable development.
According to him, challenges affecting the elderly are multidimensional, involving a combination of health conditions, psychological factors and social circumstances.
He therefore emphasised the need for integrated, multidisciplinary geriatric care that placed older adults at the centre of health-care delivery.
AbdulRaheem further urged the establishment of a dedicated Training Centre for Geriatric Care to promote healthy ageing and equip health professionals with the skills needed to address the unique needs of the elderly population. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
MOB/AMM
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Edited by Abiemwense Moru