FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY STUDIES

Name : Jacqueline E Muteewa

Reg No: R196291N

LEVEL: 4.1

Module:. Gerontology

a) An old people'shome is there to provide food shelter and comfort to elderly people who can not live
in their own homes. They might have lost their lives ones or might suffering from chronic diseases that
made them unable to live an independent life. The mini project below is on Michele Old People's Home
which is in Masvingo.

VISION

TO establish ourselves with solutions for the care and recovery of the elderly persons of our society by
offering facilities and services for the seniors who are independent or dependent .

Mission

To make life as comfortable and entertaining as possible for the elderly.

Background of Mucheke Old People's Home

Mucheke Old People's Home was established on 15 May 1980 by Baptist Church Pastor Lewis Bandawe
after seeing the plight of homeless old people in the town .

Objectives of Mucheke Old People's Home.

_Giving medical assistance to elderly people. They give around the clock and give a regular check up to
ensure that they are in good health.

_To provide all the facilities which are required for a comfortable living.

_Provides professionally trained staff who love spending time with needy seniors.

_To provide special rooms with advanced amenities.

b).What are the physiological changes in old age as perceived by the older adults.

The old age people at Mucheke Old People's Home most of were slower in reaction. They walk and
speak slowly . Old people bones shrink in size and density. Some people become shorter Others are
more prone to fractures because of bone loss. Muscles, tendons, and joints may lose strength and
flexibility.Natural changes happen in the body as we age, for example skin damage from sun exposure,
loss of muscle and physical strength, loss of some sight and hearing, as well as changes to our sleep
patterns, energy levels and appetite.

c) How do both groups explain the effects of these changes on the old adults.

The adults experiences a mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or dementia.
It affect the way people look and how the social gatherings perceive you.The relationship between
birth order and intelligence has always captured theattention of both psychologists and economists. The
most influential theories in both economics and psychology are based on resource dilution. The most
popular economic model, the quantity-quality model said Becker and Lewis 1973), predicts a trade-off
between child quantity and quality where quality is proxied by educational outcomes. Additional
children in fact may reduce the monetary and non-monetary resources of the parents. This theory can
be easily extended to include birthorder effects since the first-born may receive a greater time
endowment than subsequent children.2The physical, social and emotional challenges in increasing age
brings changes in cognition and emotion that have impacts on subjective well being , social relationships
, decision making and self control .The effects of physical changes is that the intelligence and memory
skills of a person may also be affected. Another effect of physiological changes is that old people might
have difficulties in getting up from the bed or finding the bathroom. They might forget to eat regularly or
feed themselves which lead to problems and diseases which caused by malnutrition.

d) Do older people have friendship/accompaship and any other social relationship.

Old people at mucheke old people's home visits Great Zimbabwe and Lake Kyle once a year. White
people from Non Governmental organizations also visited them to provide food, clothes and medicines
to the adults.
e) What solutions do you prefer to deal with the physological effects of aging.

Introduce the use of sigh language

Strengthen the healthcare sector.

Support caregivers.

Modernize insurance and pension systems.

Prepare the workforce.

Encourage the silver economy.

Strengthen the community of practice.

Get moving , exercise and physical activity.

Quit smoking.

Quit alcohol and other substances

Visit the doctor regularly.

Getting a good night sleep.

Health eating.

Reference.

Becker, G.S. and Lewis, H.G. (1973). ‘On the interaction between the quantity and the quality of
children’,Journal of Political Economy, vol. 82(2), pp. 279–288.