The Effects of Dispersed Adult Children on Aging and Aged Parents

E-ISSN： 2160-1917|3|4|1-10

ISSN： 2160-1909

Source： The International Journal of Aging and Society, Vol.3, Iss.4, 2014-01, pp. : 1-10

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Abstract

The study sought to establish the impact of the dispersion of grown children on the aging and aged parents left behind, with regards to their level of life satisfaction, perceived physical health, and contentment, in the rural areas of Ihechiowa, Arochukwu Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State, Nigeria. The study followed a constructed hypothesis. Using the non-probability purposive sampling technique, eighty-six older adult parents of young migrants were selected and interviewed. The accruing data was analysed using the chi-square statistical method. Results showed that having grown children in the diaspora has a negative impact on the level of life satisfaction, perceived physical health, and contentment of the aging and aged. No significant difference existed in terms of these variables on the basis of gender, age, or number of children in diaspora. We conclude that migration poses a serious challenge to the elderly left behind and recommend that sustainable development be encouraged, in fact enforced, so that rural natural resources will not be used to the point of depletion.