DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i08.050

Pages: 2991-2995

The world population is rapidly ageing. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population aged over 60 years will double from 11% to 20%. In the absence of joint family system and nuclearisation of families with one or two children and due to the increased physical and economic dependence, more and more elders are compelled to stay in old age homes. This study was carried out among all the 88 elderly inmates (≥60 years) residing in all the six OAHs of Rajkot city and 180 elderly persons from the community. The difference between the two groups was analyzed using Chi Square test and Mann Whitney U test (Wilcoxon Rank Sum test) as applicable. In the old age homes 76.7% elderly males and 55.2% females were ‘young old’ as compared to 84.4% males and 82.5% females in the community. No elderly residing in the old age homes was ‘currently married’ compared to 58.9% elderly in community. In the old age homes 5 (2.6%) elderly were not involved in any recreational activities as against 29 (16.1%) from the community. Very few elderly in both the settings were pursuing exercise, yoga and meditation. The elderly in both the settings needs to be engaged in different productive and recreational activities to improve quality of life.