Rural Accessibility Barrier of the Elderly and Healthcare Infrastructural Facilities in Ondo State, Nigeria

Purpose: This study examines the mobility constraints of the elderly in accessing good medical services as well as evaluate the main factors of mobility constraint as it affects the elderly movement for medical service delivery in the study area. In pursuance of these, the study will proffer solution on how to improve elderly people access to health services delivery in other to improve on their quality of life in the study area. Design/Methodology/Approach: Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted: The first stage involved the selection of three Local Government Areas (LGAs) from each Senatorial District in Ondo State using balloting method, which translated into nine (9) LGAs. The second stage involved stratification of all the settlements in the study area into 3 classes. Finally, 10% of the sampled population of the elderly people in each of the twenty—seven (27) selected settlements were used in selecting the required number of elderly people that have attained the age of 60 years old and above. Findings: It was also revealed that poor road condition which accounted for 16.94% and 15.40% was the leading mobility constraint of the elderly in accessing their healthcare facilities. Practical Implications: Poor road condition was the leading factor of mobility constraint of the elderly in accessing healthcare facilities, other factors include Physical capability resulting from old age or ill—health, high fare rate, inadequate safety measure and poor quality of services among others. Social Implications: an investment in rural transport by the governments, will help a long way to solve the problem of elderly mobility in the rural of Ondo State and at the same time, improve on their life style and standard of living. Originality and Value: This study therefore, emphasized on some of the challenges mostly faced by the rural elderly in accessing health infrastructural facilities available in their environment for better quality of life.