Swakopmund: Households headed by individuals aged 60 and above represent over 10 percent of all households in the Erongo Region, marking a significant demographic trend. In rural areas, nearly one in four households, or 23.8 percent, is led by an elderly person, compared to 9.4 percent in urban areas.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the regional statistics from the 2023 Population and Housing Census were presented by Erongo Regional Statistician Eino Shaanika at a recent rural development forum workshop in Swakopmund. At the constituency level, Daures recorded the highest proportion of elderly-headed households at 25.9 percent, while Walvis Bay Rural had the lowest at 4.9 percent.

Erongo recorded 74,795 households in 2023, indicating a growing demand for social support systems, particularly for aging populations who often rely on limited income sources. In terms of livelihoods, wages and salaries remain the primary source of income for most households, accounting for 68.7 percent. However, old age pensions constitute the second-largest source at 7.7 percent, emphasizing the importance of social grants in sustaining elderly-headed households.

The regional statistician further highlighted that in rural areas, reliance on pensions is significantly higher at 19.4 percent, underlining the vulnerability of elderly household heads outside urban centers. Aside from elderly-headed households, the census also reveals that the majority of households in the region are headed by males at 57.3 percent, while female-headed households account for 42.7 percent, reflecting a notable increase in female household leadership compared to 2011.

Meanwhile, child-headed households remain minimal, constituting less than one percent of all households in the region. Additionally, about 3.9 percent of households are headed by persons with significant difficulties in performing daily activities, with higher proportions recorded in rural areas, Shaanika concluded.