The Health Status of Rural Elderly Women in India: A Case Study

Abstract

Ageing is a global phenomenon. In India, majority of 75 percent of elderly persons reside in rural areas out of which about 48.2 percent of comprise women. Today these elderly women face miserable conditions in their life, as they are family-bonded and refuse to move to old-age homes. Their health problems coupled with emotional wellbeing are serious crises facing Indian society at large. In order to study the condition of elderly women in rural areas, the present study was conducted focusing on their socio-economic and health status. It was incidental that the elderly women have also psychological problems like depression, isolation, loneliness and frustration. If these problems are not dealt effectively, they can become a source of tension and stress. This is what constitutes the substantive concern of the present study.