Genesis of old age homes

In a fourth pattern, elders live all alone in the city, the children having migrated to foreign countries or for higher education, jobs and so on. The children will be living settled and comfortable lives with family and children, with all material comforts. They will visit the elders once in two or three years; this situation causes health-related and emotional insecurities, though the elders will be financially sound thanks to foreign remittances. In another pattern, elders live with relatives or in old age homes, either with spouse or alone, with financial, health and emotional insecurity. Elders, both men and women, who remained single without marriage invariably landed in OAHs. Each of these situations has its own merits and demerits. While many elders accept the change, others are unable to adjust, and start grumbling and sulking, which is understandable considering the age and exposure to circumstances.

Among the estimated population of over 10 crores in the country in the age range of 65 and above, at least 10 to 20% will be above 75 who face health problems to different degrees. Due to personal compulsions many have emigrated and stay with children mostly in the United States. But some are unable to travel owing to health reasons such as immobility or other personal reasons, and go in search of OAHs.

Genesis of old age homes

Each family has its own problems, with a single child or two or many sons and daughters to look after parents. As they give priority to their own lives with a bright future, many children face the embarrassment of taking care of their parents. Here comes the question of whether to stay back in the country to provide a comfortable life for parents in their advanced age or to migrate to other countries. Attracted by advanced technologies that provide opportunities to prosper in life and by materialistic benefits, many youngsters migrate to greener pastures, leaving behind parents to take care of themselves or with relatives. In the absence of either option, the choice is to leave the elders in old age home under the care of others who manage the system. Thus, old age home was born to help chiefly the non-resident Indians (NRIs), to relieve them of the tension of leaving behind parents under the care of someone outside the family system. So, the old age home was a concomitant of the emergence of the nuclear family system.

Having said that, it must be admitted that there are sons and daughters in some families who do not want to leave their aged parents and prefer to take care of them until their last breath, by opting to remain in the country with the satisfaction of whatever employment and other benefits they have commensurate with their education and qualifications. Thus, the mindset of children varies widely and parents have learnt to compromise with the given situation.

Research problems:

Despite surveys and fact findings in different methods the major problem that we face are the research question which will help the proposal to draw out some implications. The proposed project will be conducted with the following objectives.

1. How many Old Age Home are presently functioning to provide healthcare facility to elderly people.
2. How many elderly people are able to receive medical help from those facilities.
3. How many ill elderly people who can’t afford their medical treatment are there in Udupi district.
4. To determine the incline in old age homes.
5. To identity the areas that need immediate medical attention for elderly people.
6. To undergo further studies about Old age homes.
7. To provide jobs for unemployed people in old age homes.
8. To study the impact of old age homes in this generation.

Research methodology:

Data collection: The primary data required for the study will be collected from the existing old age homes in Karnataka or in Kerala states and also from the government hospitals in and around Udupi district.

Data Analysis: Data analysis involves converting a series of recorded observations into descriptive statement and/ or inferences about relationships. For the Statistical analysis of the data, the major tools proposed to use includes: Factor Analysis, Multiple Regression analysis, Analysis of Variance (One-way ANOVA), Chi-Square test, T-test, pie-charts, averages, percentages graphs, bar diagrams, tests of significance using statistical packages (SPSS).