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Chalabiyev Nurali Zarbali oghlu, PhD in Pedagogy, docent Sheki branch of Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University E-mail: [email protected]
PSYCHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF CHANGES IN FAMILY LIFESTYLE DURING THE PERIOD OF OLD AGES AND SENILITY
Abstract. The article is being investigated psychological features occurring in family lifestyle during the period of senility and old ages which are important and last stages of human ontogenesis. In the context of population aging tendencies in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the author analyzed specific aspects of family life, change motives in family roles, the peculiarities of divorce cases and repeated marriages and psychological changes arising in lonely people.
Keywords: senility, old age, family lifestyle, retirement age, family roles, divorce, repeated marriages, marriage of widows.
The increasing of the psychological factor's role in modern social life, as well as in family, gives higher demands to the mental development characteristics of old people. During the old age, the nature of family relationships stabilizes, becomes more substantial and interesting by its essence, relationships between genders begin to have a quieter character. According to the classification of age periods, 56-74 ages in women and 61-74 ages in men are called a period of old ages, but age period covering 75-90 ages of age are called a period of senility both in men and women [1, p. 45].
Aging is a special stage in age evolution of human life. Due to the long term of its duration (nearly 40 years-from youth to old age), this period of age is longer than the period covering all other age stages of human life and from this point of view it attracts attention due to its social importance.
According to physiologists, the energetic aging of the organism begins after 30 age, more specifically, immediately after the end of height growth and development period. There are a lot of thought differences in the issue of determining of old age's boundaries. Many experts attach importance to the determining of lower and upper boundaries of old age in its metric characteristic, so from this point of view, they emphasize the necessity of referring to the international classification of age periods.
The most active defender of old age period, the author of the dialogue about "Cato the Elder on Old Age", an ancient Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero (BC106-43) defended the old age and praised this period as the most valuable period for human and society. He opposed the following listed 4 main arguments against old age: 1) old age prevents the human from actively participating in public life; 2) old age brings various diseases and helplessness to human; 3) it causes sexual deprivation; 4) it frightens people by the approach of death. According to Cicero, old age period is the
most precious period of life for a wise man. That is, during this period youth passion fuming the humans' brain calms down, he owns a big treasure gained from the experience accumulated throughout his life.
Carol Rorschach, who conducted the investigations in the field of studying the psychological characteristics of elderly people, notes that a complex of needs that is specific for the elderly people does not differ with any specificity. It contains the identity with the runaway from pain of people who are in different age periods, and their needs of help, protection, care, love, creative work and etc. [2, p. 11].
Aging process is a genetically programmed process and causes psychological and psychological changeability in organism due to age variability. Gradual weakening of the body, decrease in physical activity and ability to work, reduction of total energy potential, difficulty of breathing, wrinkles in the skin cover, replacing teeth with dentures, increasing the sensitivity of the nervous system to irritants are main symptoms observed during old age.
As noted by a well-known Azerbaijani psychologist A. A. Gadirov, "As human beings grow old, first of all, many changes occurred in his organism and psychology, he faces new challenges and problems in life, spine twists, back becomes crooked, physical strength weakens, the body cannot withstand any effect, hair and beard whiten, teeth are being lost, vision and hearing members cannot fully perform their functions, the man cannot keep himself briskly, life days gradually decline, the world approaches the finish, of which beginning was sweet and the end was poison" [3, p. 381].
Azerbaijani scientist N. N. ismayilov characterizes the changes occurring during this period by noting that the aging process is related to development towards lag: "Aging of the organism is accompanied by the appearance of character changes almostly in all organs and systems. Earlier noticable
changes of mental changes is a decline in attention and speed of thought, a weakening of brightness and undertones of psychological processes. After a while, these processes cover the sphere of memory and impression too" [2, p. 200]. During the old age period, a leap occurs towards negative in the activity of organism's endocrine, heart, blood-vessel and nervous system. Aging of the organism in old people, almostly leads to certain changes in organs and systems. Along with somatic and endocrine systems, also a number of changes in the nervous systems causes to mental changes too. According to the information of some scholars, among the people of older than 65 age, the occurrence of these or other types of mental disorders is 30-35%, but severe mental diseases are 3-5%. Old people suffer mostly affective disorders like similar neurosis and psychopaths symptoms of mild mental disorders. In the course of mental disorders, it is encountered some symptoms in old people, like similar neurosis emotional lability, more sensitivity to irritability, anxiety for the health of himself and his loved ones, unreasonable panic, sleep disorder. One of the psychosis disorders encountered in old people is a pre-aging disorder from which women suffer more. In old people some symptoms of personality changes are also observed: mindless suspiciousness, stinginess, jealousness, querulousness, starting irrelevant argument. Their mood changes several times throughout the day: to get angry quickly, to be regretted very soon, intolerance to the action of others are ones of such symptoms.
During the old age period of ontogenic development it is occured fundamental changes in the family situation of human and also his position in the system of public relations: professional labor activity ends. The objective patterns of this process show themselves in the increase of leisure time, in the change of communication area and financial situation. Old parents who continue their labor actvity, despite being retired, get new opportunities to provide financial support for their children, to participate as an active subject in the implementation of economic, housekeeping and educational functions of family.
Throughout the whole life of a person, the family is the most important micro-social environment that forms the basis of the individuals' social life and activities. But depending on the stages of human life and his age periods, a number of specific changes occurs in the character of each individual's interaction with the family, in his social status and role in the family. The factors that contribute to change position and state of person in the family are different according to their social and biological characteristics and also closely related with social age of a person, values, norms and traditions of the concrete society in which family exists. On comparison with early stages of family life, during the old age period, the events
and processes occurred in family life begin to have a different content according to their meaning, social and psychological characteristics and scale.
During the old age period, a new age crisis is observed in human life. The man asks himself: What could I achieve in my life? It is encountered a particular weakening of human power during the period of adolescence: he compares his previous achievements with present moment, feels that there is a stagnation, moral emptiness in his life, children left father's home, they got married and live independently: professional activity is going to approach to an end, how much time is left to retire on a pension?
In modern times, aging tendency of the population in Azerbaijan has a strong impact on economic structure of the family and its function, reproduction of labor force, organization of health and healthcare measures and their implementation. "As a whole, in accordance with appropriate criteria, 65 and older aged people from general population are accounted as eligible for the evalution of demographic aging in international practice. According to demographic aging scale of UNO, if 65 and older than this aged people are less than 4%, the population is considered a young, but if this portion is less than 7%, the population is considered in the old age. In accordance with this criterion and above indicators, currently, the population of Azerbaijan is considered in the old age" [1, p. 251].
In our republic there is a correlation between the aging of population and total demographic load ratio. So that, demographic load ratio of children was 31.0 in 2010 year, but it is expected that this indicator will reach 33.7 in 2020 year, demographic load ratio of old people will reach from 8.1 to 10.2 [1, p. 255]. According to report of State Statistical Committee, it is observed a rise in the number of population over the age of 65 per 100 people in Azerbaijan. So that, this indicator reached 5.8% in 2012 rising from 4,8% in 1990 [2, p. 250].
In modern Azerbaijan society, the most of old and elderly people who are on the eve of retirement age, face with the dilemma posed by this age: going on labor activity after retiring on a pension or only going to retire? In recent years our Republic made a decision about gradually increasing of the retirement age limit to 65 years for both genders, and due to this decision most elderly people had to face a difficult situation. And this, in turn, leads to a delay in retirement age of people from that category and a decrease in their capacity to benefit from this privilege, that is a significant decrement of financial and social security. In this respect, a delay in retirement age has a significant psychological impact on old and elderly people and it should not be overlooked. During the pre-retirement age period, old people's social expectations, their life plans, desires and interests contradict with their health-related real
opportunities and gradually this contradiction further deepens. This factor affects the changes in the nature of intra-family relations too.
Sociologist M. E. Yelyutina indicated following types of elderly couples: 1) disbalance of authority (most of the decisions ara made by both couples, mutual relations are elastic, there is no expressive sympathy and antipathy, there is a tolerance to conflicts); 2) Symbiotic relationship: It is observed the generality in not only life strategy but also in the attitude and habits to the events, traditions in elderly married couples. 3) Boundless attachment to each other performs a defense function for elderly couples.4) Limitation of social roles' spectrum in the family [1, p. 86]
In family life one of the turning points for old and elderly people is related to their adult children, marriage and establishing an independent family of them. This event and in connection with this, birth of grandchildren, gaining a new social status as a grandfather and grandmother create a condition for the transition from middle-aged generation to older generation. Remaining a widow, divorce cases occurring at a later age, repeated marriages in the period of old and elderly ages can be included in the list of significant events that conditioned the transformations of most elderly people in family relations.
Characteristic features of old people's life are characterized by psychological symptoms like ending of life cycle and labor activity, retiring on a pension, reduction of opportunities' range, increase of necessity for a sense of reputation and respect (especially by the children). During this period, feeling the sense of his own necessity and importance, having a desire to be esteemed by others are perceived such factors that have an important effect as a moral stimulus in their life.
Children grow up and leave the family, close people die and all of these events make deep vestiges in spiritual world of old people, start of independent life limits his family frame and communication environment. Within about 2 decades a child who was a central figure in the family, becomes a parent and it opens a new way for mother and father to perform new social roles as grandfather and grandmother. This case is especially hard for mothers who devoted their lives to their children: how to adapt to the family? Only grandchildren can fill this emptiness.
In modern families there are some discrepancies between education model of elderly generation and young parents-mother and father. Grandfather and grandmother or older parents have more conservative views on education work, they are more careful than young parents. In attitude to children when old parents prefer to boundless care without limiting their independence, activity and initiative, young parents prefer unlimited emotional attachment, showing their love constantly. New roles as "grandfather" and "grandmother" re-
quires a great power especially in the early years of the grandchildren's life. The researches of L. A. Gordon and E. V Kopov related to this problem, allow us to come such a conclusion that during this period, a part of elderly people's cares becomes conditional with solution of the problems which faced by their children in personal family life [1, p. 47].
In medical-biological characteristics of old age and senility period, the weakening of total activity and work ability, to be in low mood generally, some changes in interests, in characteristics of interpersonal (as well as with close relatives) relations, also repeated marriages attract attention. Main reason of this is related to the determination of new biological features with lifestyle of certain way, social attitude of old people in the family and in society. General problems of old and elderly people that enumerated connecting with the family have different characteristic for every human and is concretely associated with life conditions of human.
The majority of contradictions that frequently encountered in the daily life of a family is relating with psychological features of old parents. Because of exhaustion of their physical strength, requirement for recreation increases, having rest assumes more importance. Due to the getting worse of health in old married couples, the problems came from this issue (doctor's examination, to get treatment, to keep a diet and etc.) go to the first plan and all interests and efforts are directed towards it.
B. G. Ananiev who was a well-known Russian psychologist in the field of herontopsychology, while talking about the paradox in human life, noted that in many people the event of "death" happens earlier than their physical collapse. These type of cases are encountered in such people, who begin to isolate themselves from society with their own personal will. In its turn, this concludes with loss of personality qualities and deformation of personality structure, arising a feeling of social uselessness, entering the "dramatic death stage".
After the children leave father's home, old husband and wife start to live lonely face to face, the family hearth turns into an empty hut. Russian sociologist M. E. Yelyutina who was talking about structural and functional changes occurring in the family of old and elderly people, noted: "Some functions are gradually lost with the start of "empty hut" phase: loss of the functions relating with socialization, cultural experiences and knowledge transfer. While one function is going to weaken, another one is going to strengthen. Supportive function strengthens in the family of elderly and old people. Husband and wife helps each other in housekeeping affairs, provide psychological compensation in division of any load". [1, p. 83]. There have been encountered repeated marriage cases among old and elderly people, mostly who lost husband or wife by death, and who are divorced.
The woman or man who divorced because of dissatisfaction with first marriage or who lost husband or wife by the death do repeated marriage by hoping that everything will be better than before. Both of them already have family practice. But there is no sufficient warranty that negative things causing the end of marriage will not be repeated in the second marriage. As well as, the presence of children from the previous marriage is characterized by the character complexity of "parent-child", "child-child" relations in half-structure of new family. In the attitude of the parties towards children, and in the attitude of the children to the parents, there is a high probability of step-native relations. So, psychologists consider this type of marriages more problematic. Adoption of children from previous marriages, their education issues and attitude to them significantly affect the character of family relations and intra-family psychological atmosphere that formed on this ground. Such type of reunion in the family makes necessity for couples to adapt new kind of family roles unlike the roles in the first marriage. Fatherhood and motherhood roles appear as "stepfather" and "step-mother" roles for couples and it creates other new social roles for children too.
The peculiarities of child mentality also have an impact in the formation of complicated mutual relations between stepfather and step-mother and non-native children. Jealousy, infinite naughtiness, insolence, rudeness, spoiling of child, their failure to follow the requirements and etc. are the factors aggravating the situation. Children with unlimited love for their native father and mother stand in the rebellious position against those who replace them, because their place is taken by another stranger.
In modern Azerbaijani society a widow who has many children from previous marriages has much lower chance to marry again. The presence of step and native children in new family ofwidower who enters the re-marriage with mother of orphan children, in many cases causes tension and complexity of relationships. Replacement of native father by step-father, and native mother by step-mother turns into psychological barrier. Such children do not have chance to meet with native father and mother once more because they are not alive and this makes them desperate, hopeless. They are forced to accept the authority of "step-parents".
The repeated marriages that called "marriages ofwidows" are encountered less than divorced couples' marriage. One of the barrier factors for new family life in repeated marriages of divorced couples is connected with alive separated parties but this case is not characteristic in repeated marriages of widows.
The majority of Azerbaijani women who loves unlimit-edly their first husband do not have a desire to marriage again even though their husband died untimely. They grow their children independently without assistance. But majority of
men become forced to marry again because of inability to live alone and difficulties relating to care for children.
By referring to the results of socio-psychological surveys we can say that 28% of divorced couples in Azerbaijan consider that they have taken the wrong step with breaking the marriage and afterwards feel regretful from this. 56% of men want to restore their previous marriages after divorce, they live with desire to marry again with their ex-wife. But on the contrary, the women don't attach much importance to "returning marriages". So, "returning marriages" can be accepted as "confession of mistakes" and an attempt to correct them. But however, the motives of "returning marriages" can be quite extensive and multifaceted. As main and leading motives in such type of marriages we can ascribe understanding by couples their wrong position during the first marriage, expected difficulties in growing up of fatherless (motherless) child, the restoration of previous economical and housing comfort, fear of loneliness and strong emotional attachment with ex-partner. Main difference of "returning marriages" from first and repeated marriages is that such type of marriages is bounded between the couples who know well each other's mental outlook, habits, delight and fun, necessities, dignity and deficiencies.
It was noted in the 1980's report of World Health Organization relating with family lifestyle of elderly people that most of the elderly people (especially men) who live with their spouse want to live close with their old and married children. This allow them to show mutual support to each other, to provide the needs for live emotional spiritual communication. There are some motives that stipulates living together with old parents. In our opinion, here we can ascribe firstly, the character of communal life, gender and age of children, marital and social status of parents. Married children who live separated from their old parents mostly contact his family in connection with holidays, birthdays, care during illness, care for grandchildren in the absence of parents, cleaning works at parents' home and etc.
Family status, family roles of elderly people in Azerbaijan differ from the relations of most other peoples because they are closely linked to the mental national-moral values, especially with traditions. "To provide their own needs after retiring on a pension is a main task for able-bodied population who are in old age groups. So that, this contingent has no assurance that they will be guaranteed by the family or state and they have a strong stimulus for collection of financial assets" [3, p. 243]. In our country old people are provided with social cares of the state and when they reach retirement age, get pension depending on payments to social fund and use some concessions and privileges. Some of them can continue their labor activity at previous workplace even after retirement, at
the expense of trade unions they are sent to sanatorium-spa treatment on suitable terms, and exempted from compulsory medical examination payment.
The tendency of nucleation is gradually getting stronger in demographic structure of modern Azerbaijan society. Many old parents place their children in a separate apartment after the wedding or at their request, they prefer to buy a separate apartment from discounted housing resources. From demographic point of view, giving priority to such a reproductive lifestyle by new young families is relating with globalization, material and technical progress coming from this, also urbanization processes. During our survey with 18-21 aged young people relating to the research, most of young couples who are on the eve of marriage have preferred to live separately from their parents.
44 were boys and 36 were girls of 70 young people involved in the survey. 68% of boys said that they would live separately after marriage. 54% of them said that it was their own wish, but 56% noted that they had younger brother and his parents would live with that son according to the customs and traditions. 11 out of 36 girls (approximately 30%) whose opinion were asked, preferred to live at their own parents' home together with husband because of being only child of the family. 9 girls (27%) noted that, in fact they would like to live with their future spouse, but it depended on the opinion of spouses. 16 girls (37%) have clearly indicated that they want to live separately. Most of them have preferred free life because parents and relatives of the husband may irrelevantly interfere young family.
The results of our research showed that there is a correlation between behavioral motives, life plans and social status in the family of elderly and old people who decided to retire. So that, most of elderly people on the eve of retirement age, and absolute majority of widowers, indicated their desire to work after retirement too. They coordinated this decision with their economic situation, wish to help children, grandchildren, also help for homework. It is related with bore of unemployment too. Most of elderly people told that they would leave their previous job once and for all and showed the basis for that some reasons, as weariness, weakening of labor force, and other health problems. Absolute majority (66%) of people living alone, said that they wanted to continue their labor activity.
Retired elderly and old grandparents participate in distributing preoccupations about care for grandchildren and
upbringing of them and this situation directly stipulates living together or in their neighborhood. On the basis of expressive surveys' results about the theme of research, we can say that old and elderly retirees care for grandchildren and participate in distributing their preoccupations voluntarily and consider it a debt to grandparents.
Though it may seem strange, we have encountered such facts that, elderly and old retired grandparents refuse to serve and look after their grandchildren. The grandmothers deviate from the responsibility to look after infant babies of daughter-in-laws and show as a cause for this, unpleasant attitude toward them of their son and daughter-in-law. 74% of inquired grandmothers said that, they looked after their grandchildren heartily, but 26% of them indicated that they had already been tired of this affair and long before they had overcome this debt without the help of anyone. They insistently pointed out that, a mother is obliged to look after her children. Until they reach 2 years of age mothers should care for them and shouldn't send them to kindergartens. It turned out that 62% of retired elderly and old people have no any serious health problems, they work in housekeeping affairs and they are not in need of anyone to care for themselves.They said that most of their pension is spent for grandchildren, communal expenses and food, they provide financial support to their children. 32% of surveyed pensioners indicated that children living together with them often suffered from scarcity of money due to the lack of permanent work.
The results of our research are the basis for such a statement that, in the present reality of Azerbaijan, communicative coverage of 56% of retired elderly and old people is limited with family and close neighbors. 44% of elderly and old men who live in the city or village spend leisure time talking about their past memories at resting corners located in the courtyard of the building houses, in the parks, tea-houses, or gathering places established in rural areas which called as "gimge". Only 14% of pensioners told that they went to sanatorium-spa treatment once a year to strengthen their health.
As a result of the research, it is determined that, retired widows who lost their husband can provide financial needs with own pensions. But widowers have to face many problems due to living alone: they have difficulties with cooking, washing and ironing of clothes, care while being ill and etc. So 54% of old widowers prefer to marry again.
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