This study not only provides a nuanced picture of old age home living but also brings to light the complexity in the acceptance of old age home in India.
Authors
Shilpa Bandyopadhyay, Assistant Professor, Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Kamlesh Singh, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Summary
Despite drawing media attention, the lives and experiences of old age home (OAHs) residents remain marginalized within Gerontological research in India. To address this gap, the present study aimed to explore the living experiences of OAH residents and to understand the views of community-dwelling older persons about OAHs in contemporary India.
Data was collected from 36 older community dwellers and 27 OAH residents of Delhi NCR using interviews and mini focus group discussions. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes regarding community dwellers’ views about OAHs: A necessity or a necessary evil; paid private homes: A notch above; and family care with formal assistance.
The analysis of the OAH residents’ data generated four themes and five sub-themes: OAHs are nothing to be ashamed of, Constructing meaning of the new abode – ‘It feels like home’, ‘A safe, work-free space’ and ‘It can’t be like home but…’; If you can adjust any place is fine for you; and Family dynamics and housing arrangement – ‘A marriage on the rocks sent him packing away’, and ‘For the sake of harmony’. This study not only provides a nuanced picture of OAH living but also brings to light the complexity in the acceptance of OAHs in India.
Published in: Journal of Aging and Environment
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