Investigation into the psychsocial well-being of the older persons (aged) in Montshiwa Township, in the the Molopo region of the North West Province

Abstract

The study was undertaken in Montshiwa Township in the Molopo region of the North West Province. 30 (thirty) Older Persons were participants, both sexes were involved. The objective of the study was to enquire about and understand the psycho-social well-being of the older persons. The community marginalizes the older persons because of the arbitrarily assigned chronological age of being defined as "aged", females have been assigned sixty years whilst men have been assigned sixty-five years. The community further stereotypes this segment of the population as losing their mental faculties and being non-productive towards their own needs and the community. Yet the converse may be that the older persons are endowed with wisdom, also there are factors that determine how the individual successfully or unsuccessfully deals with the process of ageing and being aged. These factors include his/her personality development throughout life; coping strategies and availability of support systems. The results of the study showed that : a large percentage of the older persons in Montshiwa Township do not experience a fulfilled psycho-social well-being. Various factors have been alluded to, including lack of proper accommodation, lack of financial security, ill-health, lack of support system and unsafe environment. A small percentage maintained that they abuse alcohol in order to forget about their poor life style. Despite all the hardships the older persons are going through, they all believed that God was with them, and prayer was sustaining them.