SAPH

A global perspective on aging: Alfred Boakye’s gerontology journey from Ghana to Japan and the U.S.

Jun 24, 2026 • By Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque

Alfred Boakye explains how caregiving is predominantly perceived as 'women’s work' in Ghana, and men who take on these roles are often stigmatized and labeled 'Kojo besia,' which translates to 'man woman’. To avoid such labeling, he was hesitant to ask for help, despite the toll caregiving for his father and grandmother took on his physical and psychological well‑being. Boakye presented his research on male caregivers and personal experience to the leadership of the Gerontological Society of America during their visit to UMBC this spring.