| dc.description.abstract | Gerontology is the study of aging inclusive of many aspects such as social, cultural,
psychological, cognitive, and biological. Gerontology includes government planning; nursing
homes and facilitates the homes or places for older people and examining the impacts of a aging
population on society. The aging process entails abundant life changes; it can be positive and
negative. The elderly develops varied coping skills and adapt successfully to these changes
depend on their personal, social support, and environmental factors, accordingly, maintaining life
satisfaction and joy in late life. Lately, the capacity of the family as essential parental figure to
the aged has encountered change because of primary changes, above all to the nuclearization of
the family. Accordingly, the incomplete shift of caring liability of aged people on the public
authority/state as different social and economic security programs. Over the past century, life
expectancy has increased dramatically, and the world will soon have more old people than
children. Individuals continue to face challenges to their wellbeing and social security in the
changes like social structure, physical environment, also their age-related decline and changes. In
the context of Indian tradition joint family set up and structure, institutionalized living inevitably
induces a perception of conformity, loneliness, and isolation. Even though, institutionalization living is fast becoming a rising trend amongst the elderly in India, due to elderly dependency
upon many factors such as socioeconomic status, health condition as well as the unavailability of
care and support in their own homes. In the present study efforts have been made to understand
the psycho-social needs, psychological wellbeing, hope towards their life. Also, endeavor to
closely study abuse faced by the elderly in institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly. The
number of elderly people is expected to increase with the aging of the baby boomers, keeping
this in mind improving service delivery to this population is very important. The sample survey
was carried out in two cities of Uttarakhand and the elderly were selected from institutional
settings (group 1) and as well as from non-institutional setting (group 2). Study involved the
consolidation of the critical psycho-social perspectives faced by institutionalized and non institutionalized elderly. The Sample size of 180 elderly was selected for the study. The
researcher divided the 180 population into institutional (group 1n=90) and non-institutional
(group 2n=90).To assess the differential influence of the selected groups, the methodology of
this study involved the consolidation of the critical psycho-social perspectives faced by
institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly. The amount of elderly abused was assessed
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through a questionnaire and Ryff’s well-being scale was administered to assess psychological
wellbeing. Social Support Inventory (Ramamurti and Jamuna 1991) to assess psycho-social
needs and Kartzindex of independence in Activities of Daily Living scale was used to assess
age-related changes and health problems. Hope scale was administered to understand the level of
enthusiasm left with the elderly population to live life happily. The results indicated that
significant gender differences were found between institutionalized and non-institutionalized
with respect to their social support needs, level of hope and physical activity. On the other hand,
institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly did not show any significant difference in
respect to their perceived social support. Non-institutionalized elderly had better level of
psychological wellbeing as compared to non –institutionalized elderly. Male scored high on
psychological wellbeing as compared to female. Further, male, and female institutionalized
elderly was not found significant difference with respect to their psychological wellbeing and
level of hope. Findings of result showed that institutionalized elderly were more victims of
elderly abuse, as compared with non-institutionalized elderly, gender differences also observed.
Non-institutionalized elderly has high level of awareness about social support system provided
by government agencies, NGO, SHG to safeguard elderly people than institutionalized elderly. | en_US |
