Development of a Group Based Adaptation Skills Training Programme for the Senior Citizens Living in Old Age Homes

Abstract

Need for more old age homes are increasing day by day. Living in an institution demands specific adjustment skills to cope up with the problems. This study aims to develop and test the feasibility of group based adaptation skills training programme for the inmates of old age homes to ensure their wellbeing. The major objectives 1) to study the psychosocial needs and concerns of senior citizens living in old age homes, 2) to develop a group based training programme for inmates of old age homes for enhancing their adaptation skills 3) to test the feasibility of the proposed programme in reducing adaptation difficulty, depression, anxiety and improving the wellbeing. The hypotheses of the study are group based adaptation skill training programme will reduce adaptation difficulty, depression and anxiety and improve well-being among elderly. Quasi-experimental research design will be used in this study. Simple random sampling method will be used in this study. Senior Citizens who live in 22 old ages homes of South zone Bengaluru are selected as population of the study. A male/female, who is 60 years and above living in old age home and with minimum physical and cognitive ability to understand and respond to the questions, which are asked in the interview will be included in the study. Screening will be done using Socio demographic data sheet and Montreal Cognitive assessment. Later the need assessment of senior citizen and collecting suggestions from staff will be done using an in-depth interview schedule. Study would identify the co-therapists from the old age homes suggested by the authorities to support the programme. On the basis of need assessment and review of literature a module will be developed for the group based adaptation skills training programme. Further the experts in the geriatric field will validate the module in a focused group discussion. Then adaptation skill training programme will be provided to the experimental group and pre-and post-assessment (immediately after and three months after the completion of the programme) will be conducted using Geriatric Depression Scale, Geriatric Anxiety Scale, Subjective Wellbeing Inventory and Assessment Scale of Adaptation Difficulty for the Elderly to assess the outcome. Repeated Measures of Analysis of Variance will be used to test the hypotheses. The study would help to develop a structured group based adaptation training programme for elderly living in old age homes.