THE PROBLEMS AND EFFECT OF OLD AGE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 

Background of the Study

        Obviously, to live long is a grace from God Almighty of course, the desire and motive of most people in Enugu State with particular reference to Udi Local Government Area and even all over the nation is to be strong and healthy. However, old people have a stage in life to drop nasty attitudes endowed from the youthful age.

         In Igbo culture, it is believed that anybody who has grey hairs on the head ulters nothing untrue. This means that those with grey hairs on the head have encountered problems of nature and what ever they ulter must be used to judge them accordingly by the ancestors.

In Nigeria as a whole, this belief is made manifest by the legal practitioners, like the lawyers, Judges and magistrates who put on a grey-haired wigs” in demonstration of their honesty and justice.

         The implies that legal practitioners are honest in discharge of their duties and equally play justice according to the evidence of cases displayed in the court of law.

         However, there are some individuals who do not like the idea of becoming old because of problems associated with old age. It is common observation that when one start growing old, there is a decline in most of the body functioning’s like  conducting velocity of nerve fibers, visual recognition, reaction to light and sound to mention a few.

Rowan (1997), maintained that, “one of the most depressing facts which comes out of any examination of the psychological effects of ageing is that, it is all downward path’.

         A regarded as old age. There are no consistent definitions of old age, even among the western societies.

Epidemologists (1985), described old age in terms of current condition of morbidity and mortality, indicating that as days pass by in the life of  any individual, there is  process of diminishing in good health brought to an end  with death. Chambers Encyclopaedia (1997), explains growing old as the progress which being different tissues, organ systems and body fluids marches in response to different causes at different rates in different individuals. It  goes further to explain it as a period of life when degeneration occur in a person, that  means  that  the person grows from his state  of physical  goodness to a lower state, which is normal in life.

         Following the views of different writers, there is no agreed specific age when one can be regarded as being of old age.

Encyclopacdia Britannica (1991) assigns the ages between four ties and sixty five years as the acceptable year of old age.

         Also, for the same purposes, the people and the government of Enugu State however accepts the age of sixty five as the commensing year of old age. From this age, the civil servants are compulsorily retired and then granted their retirement benefits and pension respectively.

         Based on the topic of the study, home management can be defined as the proper management of home  domestically by taking an appropriate care of providing and disclosing the desirable needs of the family in collaboration with the wife  and as well as the children respectively. This could be regarded as the attitudinal management, behavioural management, self control and as such the general management of home. This entails that any home with out good management, the home is bound to scatter. There will be no peace and harmony in such a home, and all these mentioned above encourage separation and divorce of marriage or marital engagement.

Statement of the Problem

         Old age being seen as the declining phase of the life span in various means and or forms comes with so many life challenges. This ageing period/later years constitute a time of high risk of difficulties in one’s life. Preparing to be old is a task which most people are overtaken by events and they do not save or invest enough for their future living at old age the raining day. This epoch, Cullen (2000) stated that so many problems are associated with old age which affect the physical wellbeing of a larger population of individuals both male and female counterpart. Hnrlock (1987) highlighted the diseases of the aged and their physical handicaps as the following; circulatory disturbances, metabolic disorder of the joints, heart diseases, recheumatism, arthritis, visual and so on. Coupled with physical and psychological problems of the aged mentioned above are also the following problems which are common in the area where the researchers carried out their study such as problem of loneliness, problems of housing accommodation, problems caused at the youthful state. In the light of these problems, this study is designed to determine the factors as problems and effects of old age in home management in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Purpose of the Study

         The main and most crucial purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which the problems of aged people with particular reference to Udi Local Government Area could be solved. This is because the old people are of much value to the society, for they are seen as the custodians of tradition and culture in any society. They are instrumental in maintaining per feet peace and order, by setting minor disputes outside the law court the study however seeks.

1.      To identify the causes of aged people’s problems and offering         suggestions on how they will be solved.

2.      To make investigation and good aspects of becoming old, so         as to erase in the minds at people the idea of repressing         getting old.

3.      To ascertain ways of bringing to the knowledge of the public         a standard living pattern that can make the days of aged         people most healthy and psychological depressions that can         accompany old age.

4.      To faster stronger human relationship with the aged people         and other members of the community so as to make life         more enjoyable to them.

5.      To find out other factors hinder the sustainability of old         people in   the area of the case study.

Significance of the Study

         This study will be valuable to the aged people in Udi Local Government Area in particular and Enugu State in general. The study will create a good background of understanding for people to exhibit some attitude of tolerance, endurance and sympathy. In the face of the problems of the aged. The younger generation in our society, the people who have not established their own homes and yet to do so, will benefit by taking cognizance of the shortcomings of their ancestors in order to refrain from them. It will help to take care of the aged people not be allowed to vanish for they are the custodians of our tradition and culture. Their basic needs should be adequately provided for them in order to expand their life spans.

Research Questions

         The researchers formulated certain questions which we hope that if answered will proffer solutions to the problems.  They are as follows;

(1)        To what extent does polygamous family affect the lives of aged people in your council area?

(2)        Do some children depend on the income of their aged parents.

(3)        Are their factors that frequently affect the life span of aged people in your council area?

(4)        Does the earning (if any) of the aged people satisfy the maintenance and management of their homes.

(5)        Does good relationship between the new generation and semi-old people promote the standard of their living?

Limitation of the Study

         The time to carry out this study was so short and therefore the researches were restricted to carry out the study in one local government area. The cost of materials as a result of the current inflation in the country also limited our work within this scope.

Scope of the Study

         It does not really covers all aspect of people’s home management in the council area. It covers only the problems and effect of old people in home management in Udi Local Government Councils of Enugu State. And equally, it covers the appropriate care to be taken by people around the aged people, especially those that might have extended to the age beyond reasoning.

Definition of Terms/Acronyms

         A belief definition of the term used in this chapter is given to avoid ambiguity.

Degeneration

         This refers to passing from one state of goodness to a lower state by loosing the qualities which are considered desirable.

Involution

        Involution means, the normal shrinkage of an organ after fulfilling it’s normal functional purposes.

Mortality

         Mortality is the ratio of the total number of deaths to the total population.

Diminishing

         Diminishing refers to as ways of making thing becomes less or small.

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