A STUDY ON QUALITY OF LIFE OF AGED PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY

INTRODUCTION

Ageing is very natural process. It beings at conception and continues throughout

the life cycle. The manner in which some one ages depends on heredity, physical
health nutrition, mental and other unknown factors some scientists feel that
human beings have a built in biological clock which loud run for 130 years in no
diseases or illness affected in the body.

Perhaps it can be said that the 20th century was the beginning of the
end of the manner of perception of old people. New advance in medical science
helped in the lengthening of lives and the industrial revolution coupled with large
scale migration and the subsequent advent of the nuclear family and the society.

L. David states that one of the biggest challenges that

confronts the modern society today is the provision of adequate and effective
care to the aged. The growing old is a painful process in modern society where
modernization is leading to the degradation of status, authority, love and
affection ties of the aged consequently the integrity of the family and the
existence of the elderly as an integral part of the family are being uprooted.

The ageing need a lot of care for their sustenance as they get physically
and mentally weak as their age advance. Depression and emotional shocks are
common among the aged. They feel isloted and side tracked by the society.
Medical advancement has pushed a large number of people to their 60s and
70s.The aged involves not only medical but social, psychological and adjustment
problems as well.
THE PROBLEMS OF THE AGED

a) A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

The aged population all around the world are facing almost the same
kind of problems. In many developed countries in the world, as a result of
growing developments and the emergence of the small family system. The
aged are being forced to find their own ways to fond for themselves. When
children start working they move away from their parents and start living of
their own. In their concept while they are struggling very hard to find a
foothold from themselves in the highly competitive world it is really hard to
accommodate the aged parents who seem to be a misfit in this constant run
which requires youthful zeal prowess.

As a result we see the emergency of a large number of nursing homes

and homes for the aged where incapable of looking after themselves are taken
care of in a specialized manner. In developed countries the social security
system for citizen runs in a very efficient manner and certain extent it can be
said that the government looks after them. But may in third world countries,
the aged face more or less the same problems like a growing urge for
industrialization, emergence of the nuclear family etc. Coupled with this
comes other worries for the aged like their economic and social problems
when they will not have enough money to look after themselves and also
health problems. They will not have the energy required for their action but
will have no one with them. The 2001 estimated of the WHO puts the number
of the aged around the world close to 3.10 billion by 2020 it is expected that
there will be a serious imbalance in the sex ratio in the developing countries.
The scenario in the developed countries is expected to improve in the
developed countries from among the 80 plus age-group which growing most
rapidly.
b) INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

In any part of the world the problem of the aged of growing significance
is India. It is understood that the number of the aged in this country is out
numbering the number of youth. The growing emergence of industrialization,
urbanization the growing importance of the nuclear family all are gripping
problems for the aged when we consider the fact the time is not very for
when the Indian culture was the centre force in any home any community in
India.

The aged were the central force in any home any community in India.
Suddenly all this fades away and the aged find the ground under them eroding
coupled with this emotional aspect comes other problems in the economical,
social and psychological sphere. Then in their old age when the time comes
when they cannot find for themselves they are left alone with no one to look
after them and nothing left in terms of monetary income. It has to be
remembered that in India. Protective measures for people are very less when
compared to developed countries. This is a turn made the emergence of
homes for the aged and nursing homes a much needed development in the
care and well being of the aged.
CHANGING TRADITIONAL INDIAN FAMILY

According to the United Nations almost million people in India are

over 60 and by the year 2021 that number will increase to 137 million. The
means India populations on health economic security, family life and well-
being of people has to be born by a relatively smaller younger group of adult
workers. The state does not have adequate sources to meet the demand on
its service. In India parents were once honoured as gods and it was the duty of
the sons, to respect and care for his parents. Even now in most homes older
parents live with their sons and families. If there was more than son, the
eldest son bears the responsibility of caring for the aged parents.

This tradition is practiced by both the rich and the poor. The
joint family has broken down and older people are considered a burden by the
younger generation. Quality old age homes are few and they can only be
found in India major metropolitan areas. Serviced apartments are also not
easily available to senior citizens.

AGEING

Ageing is a highly individual experience chronological age may differ from

a person functional age. Age related changes occur at different rates for
different persons. In our country mandatory retirement fixes old age at years.

Through the ancient description of the life span of man as a 100

years is no more applicable at present in India or any where in the world
modern medicine and health care facilities have now led to a large
preparation of the population reaching the estimate of the days of man.

The ears of age. Unfortunately professionals policy makers and

families are often unprepared or ignorant about aging one professional group
issued the following statement (The stereotype of an older person who must
inevitably suffer because of reduced mobility health and status is not
consistent with the fact that most older person given supportive
circumstances and connections are quite capable of enjoying life fully until the
end of their lives)

OLD AGE HOMES

The schemes are being implemented through organizations institutions,

statutory bodies like panchayat Raj Institutions, Red Cross Societies, Municipal
bodies including Charitable Trust and other registered bodies set up by the
Industrialists Business houses etc. The old age homes will be residential unit
for atleast 25 poor destitute aged persons of 60 years and above.

If old age homes are the way out many of them will turn out to be
dumping homes. Running old age homes should never be the sole
responsibility of the NGOs Even financial institutions like banks religious and
charitable bodies may also come forward to fulfill this obligates to society.

THE RELEVANCE OF OLDAGE

1} Migration of young couples from the rural areas to cities in search of better
employment opportunities to found for themselves.

2} Elderly who have been in control or the house hold for a long time are
unwilling to give up the responsibility to their children.

3} Youngsters on their part are sometimes resentful of the attitude of their

parents.

4} Elders are some times too incapacitation or unwell to look after themselves
or get medical care especially in an emergency.
 5} Many youngsters have moved to places for away from their native homes
and in the resent past to many countries abroad. So even if they cannot
accommodate their parents in their own homes.

THE TYPES OF OLD AGE HOMES

There are two types of old age homes in India. One is Free type which
cares for the destitute old age people who have no one else to care for them.
They are given shelter food, clothing and medical care. The second types is the
paid home where care is provided for a fee Now-a-days such retirement homes
have become very popular to India and they are well worth considering.

QUALITY OF LIFE

The best way of approaching quality of life measurement is to measure the

extent to which peoples happiness requirement are met those requirement which
area necessary condition of any one happiness those without which no member
of the human race can be happy.

Quality of life is tied to perception of meaning. The quest for meaning

is central to the human condition, and we are brought in tough with a sense of
meaning when we reflect on that which we have created, loved, believed in or left
as a legacy.

Quality of life is an important concept in the field of international

development, since it allows development to be analyzed on a measure broader
than standard of living. Within development theory, however, there are varying
ideas concerning what constitutes desirable change for a particular society and
the different ways that the quality of life is defined by institutions therefore
shapes how these organizations work for improvement.
DEFINITION

Quality of life is the degree to which a person enjoys the important

possibilities of his or her life. Possibilities result from the opportunities and
limitations each person has in his or her life and reflect the interaction of personal
and environmental factors.

The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of

individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including
the fields of international development, health care and politics. Quality of life
should not be confused with the concept of standard of living, which is based
primarily on income. Instead standard indicators of the quality of life include not
only wealth and employment but also the built environment, physical and mental
health, education, recreation and leisure time and social belonging.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1) According to Mark (1979) studied the role of social interaction in life

satisfaction. The result of there study shows that the quality of interactions and
not the quality which was a more important determinant of life satisfaction.

2) Smith and Benson (1979) Indicated that a majority of the institutionalized

expressed improvement in family ties when compared to the non-institutionalized
aged living in their homes.

3) cook (1981) recommend that for optimum level of satisfaction of the aged
need an environment that permits freedom peace of mind good recreational
facilities, good health care, work people do, the day the aged spend their time
social acceptance and relationship with outsider.

4) A study conducted in kerala in 1988 found that in a majority of cases, social

relation ship between the young and old was not very cordial many reported that
quarrel between themselves and their aged parents was a usual phenomenon.
The young generation finds with the behavior and the beliefs of the old.

The aged who have lost their spouse are the worst sufferers of loneliness
they have nobody to understand their own matters to attend to impairement of
vision and hearing and various chronic ailments make social interaction difficult
and attitudes of self pity or centering of interest may alienate family and friends
alike. In many cases, older persons also become increasingly rigid and intolerant
in their outlook and unable to make effective use of the oppournities for
meaningful social interaction that still remain open.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A study on the Quality of life main aim of this study is understand the life
satisfaction attitude of the old aged people. Considering the life style in todays
world. It has to be said that there are various causative factors which prompt the
study to be made there are a large number of the aged people living in their own
homes with their grown up children. The fact remains that they may not be happy
in that condition because of an emotional distance by the children to lives there
because of kind of a social stigma attached to it

RESEARCH DESIGN

The survey research technique was adopted in the study. However, the
scope of the study was limited to fulfilling some learning objectives, learn to
develop and administer a measurement tool, conduct field work, data processing,
tabulation and interpretation and learned to write research report. Keeping the
learning objectives and other limitations into consideration. The researcher
selected 30 respondents from the population and conducted the survey.

UNIVERSE AND SAMPLING

The universe for the present study was community people. The researcher
selected 50 were the random sampling method. The questionnaire was properly
filled in and accepted for analysis.

SOURCE OF DATA

The primary source of data was the respondents. The secondary source of
data was collected from the books, journals and websites etc.

METHOD OF ANALYSIS

The data that was collected through questionnaire were transformed into
master sheet. Coding was done and simple table were prepared. The data was
analyzed using percentage method.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1) To study the socio-demographic status of the Non-institutionalized aged.

2) To study the relationship of Non-institutionalized with their family

members.

3) To study the quality of life satisfaction of the Non-institutionalized aged.

 QUALITY OF LIFE IN AGED PEOPLE

SL.NO Quality of Life Frequency Percentage

1. Satisfied 24 48
2. Not Satisfied 26 52
Total 50 100

The above table explain that 48% of the respondents are satisfied with the quality
of life and 52% of the respondents are not satisfied with the quality of life.
CONCLUSION

The aged are the treasure of practical knowledge and experience. They are
the actual heroes of their lives, fighting successfully by ensuring the well-being
of the family as well as nation up to their maximum strength. They are the
custodians of our rich cultural heritage and universal values which have been a
part of our social system for long with proven eternity and humanism.

There are a large number of the aged people living in their own homes with
their grown up children. The researcher conducted a study was to under stand
the life satisfaction of the old age people. It can be conducted that the aged
people who are living in home are not happy in their life.