DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2018.v06i10.017

Pages: 2021-2024

The overall purpose of this study was to investigate influence of ageing on psychosocial well-being among the elderly in Maina informal settlement of Nyahururu Municipality, Kenya. The study used Ex-post-factor research design. The target population included 180 male and female elderly people between the ages of 60 and 80 years residing in Maina informal settlement of Nyahururu Municipality; those working or not working or may have worked, and living alone or living with others. A sample size of 36 elderly people was determined using stratified sampling technique that regarded both men and women guided by postulations from Gay (1976) who observes that a sample size of 10% is considered minimum for large populations and 20% for small populations. The data in the study was collected using a questionnaire containing statements of preference on the domains being measured. Collected data was analysed using the statistical package for Social Sciences windows version (22.0). Results were presented through frequency and percentage tables. The study revealed that self-esteem of the elderly in Maina settlement is not influenced by age but by individual perceptions towards themselves. They feel they have lost value and thus not of importance to their local community and the larger society.