Abstract

Background: There has been a sharp increase in the proportion of elderly population in India as a result of demographic transition. [1] The psychology of ageing is markedly influenced by the general attitude towards the elderly. Social psychology indicates the changing attitude towards them. The attitude is still present today which regards the elderly as the source of wisdom, an oasis of parental love and incorruptible justice. Social and psychological determinants are playing important role in the health of the human beings.
Aims: To evaluate psycho-social status, habits and activities of daily living among the rural geriatric population.
Methodology: A community based Cross sectional study conducted during the period of December 2010 to June 2011. . In the first stage by stratified random selection method eighteen villages were selected in the Trichy district of Tamilnadu state, one of the South Indian state. In the second stage by simple Random sampling method twenty three elderly persons who were aged 60 years and above willing to participate were selected from each of the selected village.
Results: Among 381(8 Males and 22 females were excluded because they are living alone) elderly persons, 231 (60.6%) said that they had good relationship with family members. Received elderly advises by family members, 164 (43.1%) elderly reported that their advice was honoured by family members. More than half of the elderly 228 (55.4%) were current addicts. Regarding disability with respect to specific activities, of the 411 elderly persons 48 (11.7%) needed help for climbing the stairs and 34 (8.3%) needed minor help for transfer from bed to chair and back.
Conclusions: Majority of the geriatric subjects were in the age group of 60 to 69 years with the sex ratio 920 females per 1000 males. Significantly percentage of elderly reported poor relationship with their family members may be due to the abrupt development of our society and the tendency of separation of the elderly from younger generations. Nearly 55 percent of subjects were current addicts; common type of addiction was tobacco chewing. Elderly persons who are physically fit due to their good lifestyle practices should be made role models and motivate others for better quality of health and promotion of healthy lifestyle.

Key words: Elderly, social problems, psychological problems, Habits, activities of daily living.