There is a high level of older people neglect in Nigeria, especially in the rural setting, and they did not receive much attention in terms of their overall health and well-being. Government social interventions are usually geared towards the children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Evaluating the level of functional decline and social support among these groups and how it affects their overall well-being will enable policy formulations geared towards holistic care for them. This study aimed to determine the level of functional dependence in some basic activities of daily living (ADLs: mobility, dressing, grasp and bathing) and social support in older people to enhance evidence-based advocacy to all stakeholders in older people care.

This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study of 160 (75 males and 85 females) older people aged 65–98 years selected through systematic random sampling. The 2 test, t-test and logistic regression were used for analysis.

The response rate was 100%. The mean age of male respondents was 76.31±8.34 years and that of the female respondents was 76.87±7.47 years. A statistically significant association was found between age >75 years, absence of a spouse, low education level and functional dependence in all ADLs studied. Although age independently predicted dependence in all studied ADLs, except dressing and grasp, marital status predicted dependence in dressing and bathing, and availability of care also predicted dependence in mobility.

Age is an independent risk factor for functional dependence in mobility and bathing, and marital status independently predicted dependence in dressing and bathing. Not receiving care also independently predicted dependence in mobility. Thus, improvements in the biopsychosocial, biomedical and economic well-being of older people will ameliorate the impact of poor care on functional status and ADLs.