ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF AGEING Empirical evidences from Hafizabad

Abstract

Social Gerontology as a subject, studies the social aspects of ageing by identifying the social relationships and the larger cultural contexts in which an individual grows old. In Pakistan not much work has been done in this field despite the fact that at present 15 million people (7% of the country's population) are in old age (above 60 years) and as per UN Survey by 2050 the population of elderly will become 42.8 million (12.4% of the population). Previous studies have revealed that the weak segments of societies suffer the most as they are under a greater pressure to follow the social norms and values. That means women children and elderly are compelled to be more complied with social norms and values. Unlike elderly, women and children rights and issues are given due consideration and remain under spotlight. This paper focuses on the social issues confronted by the elderly in Pakistan. The focus of the research was to explore the normative discourses governing the old age and how the aged people themselves perceive their social, physical, financial and health problems. The qualitative data of the study is a subset of the quantitative data. The research was conducted in Hafizabad district of central Punjab, Pakistan. However, many of the research outcomes can be considered universal for aged persons of any society. The paper introduces the research topic and pronounces its scope and significance followed by a review of literature and detailed methodology adopted for this study. The research in a microcosmic manner discusses on the basis of collected data and case studies, the issues faced by elderly. The study deliberates upon the issues of physical and mental health, accommodation, financial help, and care/look after needed by the old age people. The emphasis remains to develop an understanding of how aged people themselves perceive these issues. The discourse in the paper is to understand the culturally approved ways of behaviors for elderly and how the aged are persuaded to follow those. The feelings of elderly about social pressures to conform to norms along with their perception of getting involved into lively activities or becoming religious was recognized and discussed. Existence of any co-relation between ageing and inclination towards religion along with use of religious refuge as a way to face and resolve the issues of old age was analyzed. In the end an attempt is made to explores the gender face of ageing. It reviews, how society, especially the children behave differently with aged women in Pakistan when compared with aged men. The impacts of ageing on the intimacy of husband and wife and emotional attachment of children with mother and father which directly effects the support offered by children in old age are also reviewed. It is anticipated that this study will help in assessing the scope of social work intervention for improving emotional support to the elderly and resolving their issues in the way they expect.