Background

Feelings of sadness and loneliness are ubiquitous in late life and a risk factor for depression, emotional maturity and perhaps other mental illnesses in late life. The author argues that the attainment of positive mental health depends in considerable part upon an individual's financial status in old age. In countries like India where there is no care and help given by the state in terms of financial and medical, retired public sector elderly are totally dependent on their lifetime savings or their family members for sustenance. The cost of living and the inflation is on rise. Focus of this research is on the retired public sector executives where there is no monthly pension scheme given by the parent company to the retired executives.

Aims

Effect of targeted interventions of Yogic practice with the help of yoga practitioners working as therapeutic agents were done on the elderly. Other group practices like tea clubs, laughing circle, movie and book reviews etc. were also practiced. 

Method

In the Pre-study an attempt has been made to study the emotional maturity level of the retired aged. . The Five dimensions of emotional maturity studied in this test are as follows:

A -Emotional Instability, B -Emotional Regression, C -Social Maladjustment, D-Personality Disintegration, E -Lack of Independence.

Post study was done after four months of targeted interventions. The emotional maturity level of the subjects was again tested.

Results

 All elders benefitted in terms of enhancement of emotional maturity. It was financially dependent aged who showed  maximum improvement. The difference from pre tests to post tests was so significant. that the financially dependent aged who were initially much low in all the dimension of emotional maturity, almost reached similar levels of the financially independent aged. Maximum improvement was in the area of emotional regression.

Conclusion

 Yogic practice with the help of yoga practitioners working as therapeutic agents were done on elderly and was found to be effective.