Case Study 1

A sociological study of Old

persons residing in an Old age
Home of Delhi, India
Study Conducted by:Yadav Lalan

In India the
The population of
population of old
elderly in India
citizens is growing,
(over 60 years)
in 1901 it was 12.1
ranks second
million, but it has
in the world
been recorded in
2011 is 103.2
million
Objectives
Is old age home are capable to provide an options for family
conservation?
Do they compromise with the situation or are they happy and
free to live life with group people?
With these questions in mind the following study was
conducted on an old age home in Delhi city with the following
objectives:
i. To study the facility being provided by the old age home.
ii. To study the socio-economic background of the respondent.
iii. To study the family and family relationships of the respondent.
iv. To study the reasons for shifting from own children’s home to
the old age home.
Methodology
There were 55 respondents
Bindapur Old Age Home
Results and discussions:
Family relationships of respondent's

Percentage
No Child

Only Son

Only Daughter

Both Sons and

Daughters
Not applicable
Duration of stay in the old age
homes
Percentage

Upto 1 year
2-5 years
6-10 years
Above 10 years
Reasons for shifting to old age
homes
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5 Number
0
Percentage
 Conclusion
• Most of the women in old age home spent their whole
lives in doing house hold works and had no income for
their livelihood which forced them to depend on their
family.
• Due to the above reason, the female residents were
more in members in old age home as compared to their
male.
• Widow older women were very far away from
government schemes.
• The study realised that the elderly people residing in
Old Age Homes were not happy compared to the
elderly people residing within families.
 Schemes and Pension plans
offered by Government to
Elderly People
 Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme
(IGNOAPS)
Eligibility: Individuals aged 60 years and above living
below the poverty line.
 Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme
(IGNWPS)
Eligibility: Widows aged 40 years and above living below
the poverty line.
 Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension
Scheme (IGNDPS)
Eligibility: Individuals aged 18 years and above with more
than 80% disability and living
below the poverty line.

 National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS)

 Annapurna Scheme
State-level initiatives in social
pensions
Through statelevel initiatives, many State Governments have expanded coverage
beyond BPL households by :
• relaxing eligibility criteria
• increased monthly pension amounts using state finances.

One such example is Lakshmi Bai Social Security Pension Scheme, to cover all
widows not covered under IGNWP.
Department of Social Welfare through State Society for Ultra Poor and Social Welfare,
known as SAKSHAM.
A study cum survey of
Elderly living in Old
Age
Homes and Family,
Set-up in Chandigarh.
OBJECTIVES
The present study was undertaken with the following main
objectives:-
1. To study the background profile of elderly staying at old
age homes and within the family.
2. To compare the environment of elderly people residing
in old age homes and within the family environment in
terms of.
3. General feelings.
4. Social relationships.
5. Personal likings.
6. To assess the attitude of elderly.
METHODOLOGY
The present study is based on an urban sample of 60
individuals aged 60 years or above.
Out of these, 30 were institutionalised and 30 were
from family set-up.
Chandigarh is spread over an area of 114 sq kms. and
has a total population of10550000 (Census 2011)
with literacy rate of 86.77 percent. The institutions
that were surveyed are as follows:
1. Sri Satya Sai Old Age Home And Seva Centre,
Sector 30, Chandigarh.
2. Old Age Home, Sector 15, Chandigarh.
3. Day Centre for Senior Citizens, Sector 15,
Chandigarh.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
1. Age of respondents

14
12
10
8 Living in family
6
4 Living in old age
home
2
0
60-65 65-70 70-75 above
years years years 75
years
 2. Education of respondents

30

25

20

15
Living in family
10 Living in old age home

0
 3. Type of family

20
18
16
14
12
Living at home
10
Living in oldage homes
8
6
4
2
0
Joint Family Extended Family
Company preferred by elderly
women:
16
14
12
10
8
Living in family
6
4 Living in old age
2 homes
0
 Recreational activities

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Living at home
Living in old age homes
 CONCLUSION
 Probably old age is the age when a human being feels more in need of
someone to interact with and someone to share his/ her feelings with.
 Government should concern about their (old people) health and application
of many helpful programmes.
 The problem of elder abuse cannot be solved if the essential needs of older
people-for food, shelter, security and access to health care-are not met.
 The nations of the world must create an environment in which ageing is
accepted as a natural part of the life cycle, where anti-ageing attitudes are
discouraged, where older people are given the right to live in dignity-free of
abuse and exploitation-and are given opportunities to participate fully in
educational, cultural and economic activities.
 Thus the study realised that the elderly people residing in Old Age Homes
were not happy compared to the elderly people residing within families.
 The major reasons of botheration for elderly people residing in Old Age
homes are financial dependence.
 As they do not have any one to provide financial assistance to them they
feel emotionally, mentally and physically helpless.
 The government should take some serious steps towards the well being of
the elderly.