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ABSTRACT
Few studies document the efficacy of primary prevention efforts in preventing depressive disorders in the elderly. 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, elderly are totally dependent on their lifetime savings or their family members for sustenance. The concept of joint family system that was the backbone of the older generation is slowly taking a westward turn and shrinking into single unitary family. The cost of living and the inflation are on the rise. The savings that looked like a big amount at the official retiring age of 60 is a paltry amount by the time he reaches 70. An effort has been made in this study to unearth the relation between financial status - independency or dependency on other family members and the emotional maturity of the elderly.
Key Words: Emotional Maturity, Financial Status, Emotional Instability, Emotional Regression, Social Maladjustment, Personality Disintegration, Lack of Independence
INTRODUCTION
Maturity can be described as a pathway of development from the parasitic dependence of being a foetus to independence from the parental care. This is the increased capacity in an individual for responsibility and productivity and its decrease in receptive needs. Another characteristic of maturity is relative freedom from the well-known constellation of inferiority, egotism and competitiveness. Conditioning and training necessary for socialization and domestication, sense of reliability, flexibility and adaptability are few features of a mature mind.
Emotional maturity is a concept that is interwoven with the developmental process especially till the adolescent. But as Walter D Smitson(1974) says, "Emotional Maturity is a process in which the personality is continuously striving for greater sense of emotional health, both intra-psychically and intra-personally."
Morgan and King Weisz and Schopler(1986) stated the view that adequate theory of emotional maturity must take account of the full scope of the individuality, powers and ability to enjoy the use of his powers. It arouses through healthy perception of the surroundings and hence enables them to maintain a healthy equilibrium. Emotional maturity is important for healthy emotional development), it is a kind of processes that makes...