Effects Of Psychosocial Interventions On The Mental Health Of Elderly Persons During The Covid-19 Pandemic; A Case Study Of Kariobangi Cheshire Home For The Aged

Abstract

Elderly persons can be defined as aged people who are about to reach or are past the expected life span of human being. This study sampled participants aged 65 years and above. About 1.2 million people in Kenya are over 65 years, in a population of 38.6 million, making it 3.8%. The number of men falling in this category is a bit higher than that of women. About 20% of elderly persons globally suffer a mental health condition with a disability due to mental and neurological illnesses at 6.6%. Studies conducted have shown that elderly persons are at more prone to contracting COVID-19. There is scarcity of research on effects of psychosocial interventions for mental health management of the elderly persons during outbreak of pandemics such as COVID-19. This research was conducted with the aim to determine whether psychosocial interventions influence mental wellness of the elderly persons at Kariobangi Cheshire home. A survey research design was used. The targeted respondents were 74 persons aged 65 years and over, who had been diagnosed with mental health conditions. Kariobangi Cheshire home has a total population of approximately 240 elderly persons. A sample size of 35 participants was selected from a population of 74 respondents using simple random sampling. Fischer’s formula was adopted to determine the sample size. This study was conducted at Kariobangi Cheshire home for the aged. Study participants were Elderly persons aged 65 years and over. SPSS version 26 was used to analyze data. Narratives, tables, and graphs were used to present the results. A total of 35 elderly people were sampled and recruited for the study. Median age was 74.25%. More than half (65.7%) were female, 37.1 were windowed, 62.9% were Christians, 38.2% were primary school leavers and they comprised the majority. The results of the analysis show that the three independent variables, physical exercise, social support and social involvement have a significant statistical impact on mental wellness.