Predictors of psychological morbidity amongst elderly living in old homes

Abstract

Old age is an age of vulnerability in many respects, it is more prone to physical and psychological morbidity compared to other age groups. While it is part of the traditional and cultural norms in Pakistan that encourage respecting and taking care of the elderly, paying attention to their physical and emotional needs does improve their quality of life. As the idea of having old homes in Pakistan is relatively new, there is very little literature on the correlates of psychological morbidity amongst elderly. It is thus very important to study the culturally relevant psychosocial factors amongst the older adults, especially those living in old homes. The present study was designed to study the factors affecting psychological morbidity of elderly living in old homes to fill some gap in our knowledge and understanding of the elements affecting their quality of life. A sample of older adults living in old homes (N=92) was taken from three major cities of Punjab i.e. Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore for the research. The standardized questionnaires were read aloud to the older adults who were willing to participate in the study. It was a cross- sectional study and the hypothesized predictors of psychological morbidity i.e. perceived social support, contact with family, and environmental conditions were assessed through verbal administration of self-report measures; GHQ-12 (urdu version) and PSSS-U. Overall results of the study showed that the age range sixty to sixty-five (60.1 and 64.11) was significantly associated (.00**) with psychological well-being. Moreover, the results illustrates women being more affected by psychological morbidity (.03*) than men in our sample. Poor environmental conditions had a non-significant impact on the psychological well-being of the elderly living in old homes. While most of older adults living in the old homes had minimal contact with family, however perceived social support came out to be the only significant predictor (R2 = .62, p < 0.05) contributing in their psychological vii morbidity. This study is of relevance to the local old homes of Pakistan that are looking for well-researched culturally relevant ways to improve the living standards and needs fulfillment of the elderly, living in the old homes. Environmental factors better adjusted with older adults can lead to the formation of policy making and intervention planning.