Preparing for Ageing: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kannur, India

TL;DR

This pilot study in Kannur, India, explores how mentally prepared older adults feel about aging, finding that financial security and social support are key factors.

Contribution

The study introduces the novel focus on 'mental preparedness for ageing', a rarely studied dimension in India.

Findings

68% of participants felt mentally prepared for ageing.

Perceived financial security and strong social support were strongly associated with higher mental preparedness.

Health insurance was found to be inversely associated with mental preparedness.

Abstract

Background: In India, the ageing population is expanding steadily, with noticeable regional variations in the proportion of older adults. Although Kerala has high literacy and health indices, gaps in financial and legal readiness persist. As this is a hospital-based pilot study, findings are exploratory and not generalisable. Assessing preparedness for ageing is essential in low- and middle-income countries like India, especially in states with longer life expectancies such as Kerala.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of mental preparedness for ageing among the elderly population in Kannur, Kerala, and to identify key demographic, health, and financial predictors influencing it. The novelty of this work lies in its focus on “mental preparedness”, a dimension rarely studied in India.

Methods: A hospital-based pilot cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care facility in Kannur, Kerala. A structured questionnaire (self-developed and underwent expert validation) was administered to 305 elderly individuals recruited by purposive sampling. Data were analysed utilising descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate ordinal logistic regression to explore associations and predictors of mental preparedness for ageing. Given the cross-sectional design, associations rather than causal relationships are emphasised.

Results: Approximately 68% of participants felt mentally prepared for ageing. Bivariate analysis revealed significant associations with education, marital status, occupation, health status, financial planning, and social support (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed that perceived financial security (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.08), presence of a pension plan (AOR = 2.24), having health insurance (AOR = 0.36), and strong social support systems (AOR = 7.56) were independently associated with higher mental preparedness. The model demonstrated good fit (χ² = 63.89, p < 0.0001; c = 0.736).

Conclusion: Mental preparedness for ageing in this pilot hospital-based study was found to be associated with financial stability, pension coverage, health insurance, and social support. However, the exploratory nature of the study, purposive sampling, use of a single, non-validated item, and unmeasured confounders limit the generalisability of the findings. The study’s novelty lies in highlighting mental preparedness, a rarely studied dimension in India, and its multidomain perspective. These preliminary results point toward the importance of financial and social interventions to enhance preparedness, but larger community-based, longitudinal studies using validated tools are needed to confirm these associations and guide policy.