INTRODUCTION

Ageing as natural phenomena has all long engaged the attention of all civilized world. It is an universal and irreversible process which varies considerably within and between cultures. Getting old is the result of the interplay of biological, social, psychological and ecology factors of age is the last phase of the human life cycle and the last phase of the human life cycle and the determination of old differs from society to society in accordance with the social organization including the cultural beliefs organization including the cultural beliefs in vogue on one hand and the level of economy, standard of living and health services on other. Ageing has been viewed different by different people. Where as to some it means power, authority wisdom and respect, others consider it as a forced retirement leading to a state of dependency loss of charm and of physical strength. To most ageing implies physiological and psychosocial changes that are reflected in their consequential loss old states, both in the family and in the society. Edward J. stieglight defines ageing as the element of time in living according to him, " aging is a part of living, aging begins with conception and terminate with death". It cannot be arrested unless we arrest life, we may retard aging or accelerate it, but we cannot arrest it while life goes on, because it is essentially an element in living ageing shows as we grow older. Ageing change rapid in youth and even more rapid parentally in the period between conception and birth.

The demography composition of the world is undergoing transformation. The world is going and this process is accepted and intensified by the decreasing birth rate and morality rate, and increasing longevity of life. This change is going to affect the social and economic lives of human being to a great extent. The population of the older people in the world aged 60 years and above has increased by 68% over the last 20 years. According to the estimate of UN there were approximately 400 million people in that age group, which constitute 6.4% of the world's total population. According to another estimate in 1050 there were 200 million people over the age of 60 years, which by 2000 was 590 million and going to 1177 million by 2025. They will represent approximately 13.75% of the world's population. In India, the number of aged people has increased with better health and medical facilities. In India the no of aged above 60 years have increased to 77 million and their percentage constitute 7.7% of the total population. Now it is expected to increase to 9.87.1.

Sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) of elderly population and general population, India, (1961-2001)

Year
1961 1971 1981 1991 2001

AH age (General (population) 941 930 933 929 947

Age 60+ 1,000 9378 956 904 987

Age Group 60-64 969 921 931 904 969 65-69 962 922 978 953 965 70+ 1,064 970 970 1,024 1,022

Aging brings in its wake a host of changes in body and mind of individuals with consequent impact on the life style and social relations. The rapid industrialization and urbanization has also led to dissertation old elderly citizen especially the women by their sons migration to their working place leaving the old parents alone. Notwithstanding the difference in the criteria of determining the old age, there has been a great transformation in the structure of the society. Such a shift in the structure of society, which has resulted in the replacement of multigenerational units has also had a negative effect on the role of old people many of whom have lost their social security in the family. Gradually most of them have relegated to the fringes of society where they live in isolation as unwanted elements and this can be in all most all industrial societies. As the social, economic and psychological problems of the aged are growing. So to eliminate some of these difficulties a new discipline known as "GERONTOLOGY" has been developed.

GERONTOLOGY The term, gerontology is used to describe the systematic study of ageing process. It generally refers to the study of late adulthood among human beings. A major branch of gerontology known as social gerontology has emerged to deal with the social life of the aged. Social gerontology, thus lay much emphasis on the study of the impact of social and socio cultural factors on the aging process. It also encompasses a wide verities of areas like health, family, economic, political and retirement problems of aged. The practical purpose of gerontology is to help people lead a better life in their old age. In western approaches gerontology is influenced by the dominant expenses of the elderly such as social isolation, abuse, senility and a host of other diseases of industrial culture. In traditional Indian society generally shows great respect and consideration for old persons. They were revered as depository of widow prestige and privileges. Apart from this is India, the aged people plays the most significant role in socialization of children. As Pillow (1985) has observed that " the higher the person's age the greater will be his or her knowledge or wisdom". Gerontology has evolved as a major branch of study in India in the post independence period. Its important is gradually being felt in present Indian society. Where its social structure and values are undergoing transformation from a traditional to a modern and industrial social order with effect of school education coupled with modern knowledge, industrialization and urbanization. Because of the change in economic structure in contemporary transitional Indian, the younger and educated member who was discontented

with the administration of the family and the existence of the elderly as an integral part of the family are being uprooted.
CONCEPT OF AGING

The concept of aging is broadly categorized under two different categories:1. 2. Physical ageing. Social ageing.

Physical Ageing :It is associated with changes in the

physiological conditions of a person such as change in hair, color, loss of teeth, weak eyesight, or inability to attend to personal needs, several physical ailments and their consequences on individual and family. Social Aging :It is administratively determined for the purpose of social security, retirement from jobs in the organization sector, for demographic classification, its consequence on individual and community. The concept of aging has taken many meaning. Myers in (1985) has elaborated the aging of population in the following manner a) Aging may be viewed as a biological process through which an organization is modified from birth to death. In a similar sense, the psychological and social development, process of individuals, inducing transition in social positions, role status and characteristic of persons can also be examined.

b) An extension of their approach focuses on aging of families, a social grouping that is modified over the life course of persons can also be examined. c) a more aggregate level, change on the age distribution of population can be examined usually in terms of relative proportion of each age group this is most common way in which the population aging has been viewed. d) On a more abstract level, there is a sense in which aging can be viewed as a unsocial index of social and civilization maturity. If one accepts the propositions that societies follow evolutionary or cyclic paths of growth and decline then the age of societies follow evolutionary or cyclic paths of growth and diction then the age of societies represent a vital index of this process, perhaps related to demographic transition and cultural vitality. It can't be assumed that only old age has problem at every stage of life. But it is conceived that the problem required to be forced in old age may be difficult and of a different nature of the problem of young or middle age. As such the problems faced by the elderly of society need special attention by socialites and psychological. Old age means physical disabilities declining mental ability, the gradual giving up of roles, playing in social activities and a shift from economic status moving from economic dependence on other for support. The period during old age when physical and mental decline is slow and gradual and when compensation can be made for these declines is known as senescence - a time of growing old or of aging. The term "Senility" is used to refer to the period during old age when more or less complete physical

breakdown takes place and when there is mental disorganization the individual who becomes eccentric careless, absent minded, socially withdraw and poorly adjusted is usually described as "Senile". Senility may come as early as the fifties or it may never occur because the individual dies before deterioration sets in decline comes partly from and partly from psychological factors. Individuals who have no sustaining interests after retirement are likely to become depressed and disorganized. As a result they go down both physically and mentally and may die soon. How the individual copes up with the strain and stress of living will the strains and stress of living will also affect the half of his decline. The physical and psychological changes determines to a large extent, whether he will make a good or a poor personal and social adjustment. Socio-economic situation as faced and experienced by individuals differ from different groups of people just because one has become old. it doesn't mean that one has same set of problems of affluent aged differ from that of destitute aged, the conditions of slum dwellers differ from those living in developed or posh colonies, similarly is the position with regards to pensioners and non pensioners of those living in rural, urban and tribal areas of those belonging to land-owning class and landless class, etc. the difference in problems may be because different groups have different traditional value and cultures

PROBLEMS OF AGED A man's life is normally divided into live main stages namely: infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age. In each of these stages an individual has to find himself in different situations and laces different problems. Through form the point of view of wider society the problems of old age are comparatively less, from the stand point of the individual the problems are not less significant. In old age physical strength deteriorates, mental stability dimensions, money power becomes bleak and eyesight suffers a set back. Only for few old age may prove to be a stage of contentment and satisfactory. But for a large number a period of disappointment, dejection, disease, repentance and loneliness. In order to find some solace for their distressed mind good number of people turn towards religion. Some seek to get satisfaction through the achievements of their children or grandchildren. Some cut off their relations with external world and prefer to line in solitude only a few make compromises and try to equip themselves to sail along with the currents of life. The problems of these aged are numerous and complex, the aged in our country are in distant danger. They lack certain important vitamins, minerals and other food ingredients. Other major problems encountered by the aged are, the generation gap, a marked tendency towards a general protective attitude of retired age without consideration of their actual needs which inevitably stimulates rather unfavorable reaction from adult population. In urban context the real problems of the aged have began with the division of joint families and property, which ultimately weakened the so-called traditional familial social security of all in the family, time to time changes in

the intuition of marriage and family have diminished the control of parents over their children subsequently giving rise to their dependence much on their children. In the cities, more number of aged who worked in the organized sector during their career have been and more covered by social insurance scheme such as pensions, gratitude's, provident fund disbursement made up on their retirement. Since 1871 such system is existing. Similarly the aged in un organized sector constitute 89% of the aged worked for low wages and thus have little or no savings to enable them to meet their old age needs, each of these categories has its own life style and problems. The present development plans accorded low priority in allocation of resources for providing services to the aged nor have these people received adequate attention from public, planners, administrators and social scientist, it is high time not only to generate increased Govt awareness of the plight of the aged but also to sensitize the elite groups and NGO's regarding various programs to be envisaged for the rehabilitation of these people. It is recognized that prevalence of mental illness among aged person is comparatively higher than younger persons. The reason for such mental disorder are depression, loss of role as a bread earner, multiple and complicated bioorganic brain involvement, differential of children disparities in value precipitation, generation gap etc. In other words the aged person fails to meet their biological, social, psychological need in a given achievement.

THE PLIGHT OF AGED WOMEN "Women are the wonderful creation of God" She is endowed with beauty, nourishing and motherly attributes. Many seers, poets, have appreciated and praised these virtues of women. But with the passage of time the same marvel of creation withers and fades and await for the dooms day. However, that does not come all of a sudden. Due to change of society, broken systems of joint family, industrialization and even more economic deterioration, these families are left alone, consigned to their fate. As women, generally out live the men their number is increasing so also their agony multiplies at the last stage of life. Women of India can be broadly divided into two classes against the backdrop of the development in a time frame continuous. The educated elite and privileged minority can be seen as one class and the uneducated, deprived and unprivileged majority as the other. Though at two ends of the spectrum there is the possibility of a meeting point for the two classes in their unified pursuit for participative and distributive justice, where they can express their latent mind power in the opportunities they explore, the choice they make the resources they seek. Women with varied social, economic, political regional, linguistic background and milieu constitute about half the nation. Old age has different implications for men and women. For e.g.-: effect of the family cycle is more traumatic for women than for men because of their deeper involvement in female roles in the domestic sphere. Thus the change of role induced by the marriage of the elder son implies a greater identity crises for the women rather than men, widowhood has a much greater impact on

women as it makes them totally dependent on their sons, involving not only emotional deprivation but also a4oss of status within the family . For a male , his role as a major earner in the family is critical , is likely to suffer in self-esteem if he sees himself as a dependent it is possible that elderly women does not experience the same loss of status as the male does. For one thing the women's status does not depend directly on her own ability to support herself through her husband's abilities. To do so is major factor in determining her status. But the mother enjoys the special status in the eye's of her son does not experience the same sense of in adequacy that father may experience when she is dependent on her son in the nontraditional. When setting gender is a very important variable that, influence quality of life of all ages. India is the few countries in the world where women outnumber men at all ages