A Descriptive Study to Assess the Relationship between Social Support and Social Stress among Senior Citizens Living in a Selected Setting at Palakkad in Kerala

Abstract

Old age has been perceived as a problematic period of one’s life and this is true to some extent. The incidence of emerging social problem among senior citizen is wider in developing countries like India. Keeping in view of various studies and findings, the present study was intended to assess the social support and social stress among senior citizen living in a selected community at Palakkad District in Kerala. Descriptive research design was used to carry out this study. Total of 100 samples were collected by using convenient sampling technique. The data were collected by using ‘Duke Social stress and support scale’. The results revealed that about 71% of senior citizen has poor social support, 26% of them have average social support and only 3% of them have good social support. On the basis of social stress, the results shows that 56% of senior citizens are in mild stress, 36% are in moderate stress and 8% are in severe stress. The study findings proved that most of the senior citizens have social stress and poor social support.