Crisis at Retirement of both Male and Female Civil Servants and its Psychological Effects on Aging in the South-South Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate psychological aspects of aging among the elderly men and women in the South-South zone Nigeria. Specifically the study focused on the effect of psychological problems such as: loneliness, boredom, fear, insecurity, stress, anxiety, bereavement, cry spell, memory loss, loss of self esteem, depression, alcoholism and elder abuse. Using a check list of the above indices referred to as Questionnaire on Psychological Aspects of Aging (QPAA), a sample of 120 elderly men and women were selected using purposive sampling technique. T-test statistics was used for the analysis of the data collected from the respondents. The findings of the study showed a significant difference between men and women in their psychological response to aging. The problems of stress, anxiety, fear and insecurity were found to be the most disturbing for the females while their male counterparts ranked stress and anxiety as well as loneliness and boredom as the most disturbing psychological problems at their age. In view of these findings, suggestions were made on how to improve the psychological effects of aging on elderly men and women for longevity of life.