A Study of Association between Functional Dependency, Financial Dependency and Social Participation among Elderly Citizens

“Age is just a number”, ageing is not a disease or end of life. As the ageing population increases it is realized that the health plays a vital role to have an active ageing. Most of the restrictions in the activities of daily living (ADL) are considered normal for old age and hence old depend on others for their daily needs. The present study elicits the association between functional dependency, financial dependency and social participation of elderly people.

To study association between functional dependency, financial dependency and social participation among elderly To study their socio demographic profile in the urban field practice area.

Community based descriptive cross sectional study from October to December 2016 in the field practice area of a tertiary care institution.

Total subjects enrolled were 128. Females to males ratio was 1.5: 1, majority (71.9%) of them were 60–75 years old. Muslims were predominant community comprising of 71.9%. Literacy rate of 60.9% is seen among elderly. Retired class were the major type 83.6%; 64.8% were widowed; 16% are currently working and 64.1% belongs to upper lower class; majority (67.12%) were suffering from senile cataract, 21.09%, osteoarthritis, 7.81% diabetes and hypertension, 19.53%. Around 50.8% have financial support from children, Social participation was significantly low in functional dependents (p<0.05), use of Aids and availability of a care taker was associated with high level of social participation (p < 0.05).

Financial independence and support from the care taker would improve the social participation in elderly and this in turn would help the elderly people to be more socially active and productive.