INTRODUCTION:

Human life expectancy has increased steadily for the last 200 years, resulting in global aging. Getting older can be stressful because of multiple losses such as: financial, psychosocial, personal, a decline in health, independence, and cognitive and functional abilities.² According to the cybernetic theory of stress, coping and well-being, stress is a negatively perceived discrepancy between an individual’s perceived and desired states important for their functioning³ that is particularly relevant for aging adults. As George E. Vaillant⁴pointed out in his book Aging Well, “The major factors involved in negative personality change at midlife are the same factors that caused negative aging at 70: bad habits, bad marriage, maladaptive defences, and disease.

NEED OF THE STUDY:

WHO also projected that problem among the elderly in developed nations will increase from 9% to 12% by 2026 (WHO, 2001). 236 elderly people per 10,000 populations suffer from mental illness due to stress, depression, heart diseases and stroke (WHO, 2010).⁵

Sumanpreet Kaur(2015) conducted a study on combating depression among the elderly by preparing and distributing guidelines for the prevention of stress. A non-experimental research approach along with a descriptive research design was used. The research study was conducted in the selected urban community of cheharta, Amritsar, Punjab. Non-Probability sampling technique purposive sampling technique was used for data collection. Results showed that 57(28.5%) of the elderly population were from the age group of 66-70 years, 110(55%) were females and 151(75.5%) were illiterate.

Among the elderly majority, 105(52.2%) were having a mild level ofdepression followed by 35(17.5%) who were having moderate depression. It was found that there was a significant association of level of depression with age. It is concluded that mild and moderate depression is more prevalent among the elderly in the selected urban communityof Cheharta, Amritsar ⁶

Sonia Karen, Liz Sequera( 2018) conducted a study To assess the attitude of middle-aged adults towards the elderly population:

A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional descriptive study design was used for the presentstudy.A convenience sampling technique was used to select the subjects and the sample size was 100.

The result of the study findings shows that 76(76%) of the middle-aged adults showed a favorableattitude towards the elderly population whereas 24(24%) had a neutral attitude.

There was a significant association between gender and the attitude of middle-aged adults towards the elderly population. (p=0.049< 0.05 level of significance). The study revealed that most of the middle-aged adults showed a positive attitudetowards elderly people and the males in the study had a greater positive attitude when compared to females⁷

Poonam Devi, Jeen Mexina (2018) conducted a study on the Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy on the Reduction of Stress among Elderly Residing in old age Home.t.Pre-experimental approach was adopted to determine the effectiveness of reminiscence therapy among elderly residing in Red Cross society old age home sector-15 Panchkula. One group pre-test post-test research design was used where 30 old age people were included in pre-experimental one group respectively.It is evident from the result that the pretest means the score was founded to be 20.06 as compared to the post-test mean score of 11.1.Hence the study concluded that the reduction of stress level among elderly people after the administration of reminiscence therapy. This indicates that the reminiscence therapy was effective ⁸

In the end, anything that reduces unnecessary stress will make the later years more enjoyable. Some people simply need to stop trying to do too many things at once. Others may want to try breathing exercises or other relaxation techniques. Still others may need to talk to a psychologist to find a new perspective on their lives.⁹

Whatever the approach, fighting stress overload is worth the effort. The American Psychological Association reports that reducing stress in later years can help prevent disabilities and trips to the hospital. And if people end up feeling younger, healthier, and happier, that's OK, too.¹⁰

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

A study to assess the level of geriatric stress among the elderly population in a selected community area at Salem, in a view of developing and evaluating structured teaching program on overcoming geriatric stress.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To assess the pre-test level of geriatric stress among the elderly population

2. To prepare and validate structured teaching programme on overcoming geriatric stress

3. To assess the post-test level of geriatric stress among the elderly population

4. To compare the mean pre-test and mean post-test level of geriatric stress among the elderly Population

5. To find association between the pre-test level of geriatric stress among elderly population and their selected demographic variables. [Gender, marital status, and sources of income]

METHODOLOGY:

Research Approach:

Quantitative research approach was considered as an appropriate research approach for the present study

Research Design:

The research design selected was pre-experimental research design (one group pre-test, post-test design)

Setting:

The study was conducted at Karipatti community area at Salem

Sampling Technique:

Non-Probability convenience sampling technique is used to select the samples

Sample and Sample Size:

Sample was selected from elderly population residing in the community. 50 samples were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Description of the Tool:

TOOL-I: Demographic data:

It includes the demographic characteristics of the elderly population. It contains Age, Gender, Marital Status, Educational Status, Previous Occupation, Number of Children, Type of Family, Food Pattern, Health Problems, and Source of Income)

TOOL-II: Assessment of the level of geriatric stress:

Modified Bradburn Psychological Stress Assessment Scale was used to assess the level of geriatric stress among the elderly population. Totally 30 items. Each item of the stress scale was answered either “never”, “occasionally‟, “often”, or “always‟ which indicates the level of geriatric stress. The scoring for the levels were “never”(0), “occasionally‟ (1), “often”(2), or “always‟ (3). The total score of the samples ranges from 0-90. Based on the score the level of stress was graded as 0-30 (33% and below) as mild stress, 31-60 (34-67%) as moderate stress, 61-90 (68-100%) as severe stress

Data Collection:

A pre-test was done with the help of the Modified Bradburn Psychological Stress Assessment Scale. After assessment of stress in 30 minutes, STP was administered to the group for up to 28 days. On 28th day onward post-test was done in both the group

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Section-1: Distribution of demographic variables of the samples

Table -1 Frequency and percentage distribution of samples according to their demographic variables n=50

Sl.no

Demographic Variables

Frequency

(f)

Percentage (%)

Age (in years):

a.60-65 years

b. 66-70 years

c. 71-75 years

d. Above 76 Years

Gender:

a. Male

b. Female

Marital status

a. Married

b. Unmarried

c. Divorce

d. Widow/widower

e. Separated

Educational status:

a. Primary

b. Secondary

c. Higher

d. Graduate and post graduate

e. No formal

Previous occupation:

a. Coolie

b. Private job

c. Unemployed

d. Business

e. Government employee

Number of children:

a. One

b. Two

c. Three or more

d. Nil

Type of family:

a. Nuclear

b. Joint

Food pattern:

a. Vegetarian

b. Non –vegetarian

Health problem:

a. No problems

b. Diabetes mellitus

c. Hypertension

d. Cancer

e. Cardio vascular disease

Source of income:

a. Through the son

b. From the properties

c. From the government scheme

d. Pensioners

e. From the self occupation

Section-2: Analysis of pre-test and post-test level of geriatric stress score among the elderly population.

Figure 1 Cylindrical diagram shows percentage distribution of pre-test and post-test level of geriatric stress among samples

Table 2 shows that the mean post-test score (27.38) was less than the mean pre-test score(67.6). The standard deviation post-test score (6.35) was less than the mean pre-test score (6.22). The mean percentage post-test score (30) was less than the mean percentage pre-test score (75). The mean difference between pre-test and post-test scores was (40.24). The paired „t‟ value (29.68) is greater than the table value (2.02) at a 0.05 level of significance.

Hence research hypotheses H₁is accepted and null hypotheses H _{0 (1)} was not accepted.

This indicated that a structured teaching program was effective in overcoming the level of geriatric stress among samples.

Section-IV: Association of selected demographic variables with mean pre-test level of geriatric stress score among the elderly population:

This section deals with the association of the pre-test level of geriatric stress score among the samples and their selected demographic variables. It was associated by using chi-square test and the results were observed.

Data presented in Table 3 showed that the calculated chi-square value (x²=1.99) was lesser than table value (3.84), which indicates that there was no significant association between the mean pre-test level of geriatric stress among samples and their gender

Data presented in Table 3 showed that the calculated chi-square value (x²=0.42) was lesser than table value (5.99), which indicates that there was no significant association between the pre-test level of geriatric stress score among samples and their marital status

Data presented in the table 3 showed that calculated chi-square value (x²= 5.33) was lesser than table value (9.49), which indicates that there was no significant association between the pre-test level of geriatric stress among samples and their sources of income

CONCLUSION:

It can be concluded that the level of stress is high among samples of those who are residing in the community area before the intervention. They require some interventions to reduce the level of stress. The finding of the study reveals that a structured teaching program was effective in overcoming geriatric stress among samples.

REFERENCE:

1. American Institute of Stress, Definition of Stress, (2012) http://www.stress.org/Definition_of_stress.htm.

2. Lavretsky, H., and Newhouse, P. A. (2012). Stress, inflammation, and aging. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: official journal of the American Association for

3. Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(9), 729–733. https://doi.org/10.1097/JGP.0b013e31826573cf

4. Edwards JR, Cooper CL. The impacts of positive psychological states on physical health: a review and theoretical framework. Soc Sci Med. 1988;27(12):1447–1459. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

5. Vaillant GE. Surprising guidepost to a happier life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development. Boston, New York, London: Little, Brown and Co; 2002. Aging Well. [Google Scholar]

6. WHO, (2011). Preventing medicine in multicultural societies. Nightingale Nursing Times, 7(9).

7. Sumanpreet Kaur. A Descriptive Study to Assess Depression among Elderly Population of selected Urban Community of Cheharta, Amritsar Punjab. Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2016; 6(3): 337-341. doi: 10.5958/2349-2996.2016.00063.X

8. Sonia Karen, Liz Sequera. Attitude of the middle aged adults towards Elderly population at selected setting, Mangaluru. Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2018; 8(1): 163-166. doi: 10.5958/2349-2996.2018.00034.4

9. Poonam Devi, Jeen Mexina S. Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy on Reduction of Stress among Elderly Residing in old age Home. Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2018; 6(3): 191-195. doi: 10.5958/2454-2652.2018.00042.2 https://ijmrr.medresearch.in/index.php/ijmrr/article/download/779/1413?inline=1

10. https://consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/aging-1/age-health-news-7/aging-and- stress-645997.html#:~:text=Whatever%20the%20approach%2C%20fighting%20stress,happier%2C%20that's%20OK%2C%20too.

11. El.Glani et.al. Stress and Its Associated Factors Among Elderly: A Community-Based Study in Egypt. Journal of Health Science. Feb 2017

Received on 02.03.2021 Modified on 19.07.2021

Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2022; 10(1):11-15.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2660.2022.00003

Table 2: Mean, standard deviation, mean percentage, mean difference, and paired ‘t’ test value of geriatric stress score among the elderly population n=50

Table -3: chi square value for pre-test level of geriatric stress score and their selected demographic variables

Sl. No

Variables

Chi-square values(χ2)

Df

Table value

Level of significance

01

Gender

1.99

01

3.84

NS

02

Marital status

0.42

02

5.99

NS

03

Source of income

5.33

04

9.49

NS

Df- degree of freedom, NS- Not significant, Level of significant -P<0.05

Hypotheses H_1:

Null Hypotheses H_0(1):

Section-IV: Association of selected demographic variables with mean pre-test level of geriatric stress score among the elderly population:

Table 2: Mean, standard deviation, mean percentage, mean difference, and paired ‘t’ test value of geriatric stress score among the elderly population n=50

Table -3: chi square value for pre-test level of geriatric stress score and their selected demographic variables

Sl. No

Variables

Chi-square values(χ2)

Df

Table value

Level of significance

01

Gender

1.99

01

3.84

NS

02

Marital status

0.42

02

5.99

NS

03

Source of income

5.33

04

9.49

NS

Df- degree of freedom, NS- Not significant, Level of significant -P<0.05

Hypotheses H1:

Null Hypotheses H0(1):

Section-IV: Association of selected demographic variables with mean pre-test level of geriatric stress score among the elderly population:

Hypotheses H_1:

Null Hypotheses H_0(1):