*Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. Email id: Shaistaalig0@gmail.com
**Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. Email id: zafarrizviphd@gmail.com
Online published on 8 January, 2019.
The last century has witnessed a rapid increase in the population of the elderly people in the developed and developing countries. The country is not adequately equipped to look after their special health needs and the changing traditional value system. Younger generations’ attitude towards the elderly people is not up to their expectations. In the above context, a study was conducted to understand the feeling of hardiness and meaning in life among the elderly residing in the old age homes and within the family environment. Total 60 samples of elderly people were selected for old age home and living in family. The data was collected through house-to-house survey for those residing in the families while those other half data were collected from old age home. Inclusion criteria are non-working status of elderly people above < 60 years of age for sample selection. After tabulation of data t-test was used to see the differences between groups with regard to hardiness, meaning in life and its dimensions. Result of the study revealed that the hardiness among elderly living in old age home is higher than the elderly living in families while meaning in life is higher among elderly living in families than the elderly living in old age home. Elderly living in the families had a positive attitude towards old age. On the other hand, better social relations were maintained by the family dwellers because they had regular interaction, expressions of feelings and support from the family.
