Universidad de Manila

C.M. Palma cor., A.J. Villegas Sts.

Mehan Gardens, Ermita, Manila

THE WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY IN AN

EMPTY NEST SITUATION IN BARANGAY
837, PANDACAN, MANILA

A thesis presented to the College of Arts and Social Sciences

Universidad de Manila

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Social Work

Lamata, Romelyn L.
Salmorin, Ma. Minera
Redoa, Jeri Lee P.
Ramos, Roxan
Adriano, Irish Gewel
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Elderly are facing a phenomenon empty nest which means a feeling of sorrow and
loneliness parents when their child or children has leaving their home, either to live for their
own or to attend a college/university. Since, young adults are moving out from their families
home or what they called the nest is generally a normal and healthy event. Empty nest
parents often face new challenges, such as establishing a new kind of relationship with their
children, finding other ways to occupy their free time, reconnecting with each other, and a
lack of sympathy from people who believe that parents should be happy when their children
leave home. Unattended, empty nest elderly adults are vulnerable and usually experience the
physical, psychological, and social problems associated with old age. In addition, Filipino
elderly empty nesters experience the psychosocial problems such as depression, loneliness,
and anxiety. The term empty nest syndrome is used to describe this condition.

In Philippines, the number of older people was increasing rapidly by urbanization and
modernization, faster than growth in the total population. Based on the statistics of
Philippines population for older people conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) in year 2012, the population of older people in the Philippines is
5,905,000 or 6.1% of total population. The Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) expect in the year 2050 that the population of elderly will increase up to 23,633,000
or 15.3%. The life expectancy for older men in the Philippines is up to 66 years old only,
while the life expectancy for older women in the Philippines is up to 73 years old.

The motivation of this study is elderly parents specially for whos in an empty nest situation,
which is the focus of this study. This research will help us to know their well-being in an
empty nest situation living on Pandacan, Manila.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study intends to explore the well-being of elderly in an empty nest
situation in barangay 837, Pandacan, Manila. Specifically, it answers to the following
questions:

1. What is well-being?
2. What is biopsychosocial well-being?
a. What is biological well-being?
b. What is psychological well-being?
c. What is social well-being?
3. How empty nest affect the elderly situation?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is beneficial to the following:

To UDM Students who taking up Bachelor of Science in Social Work, new knowledge and
understanding about the well-being of elderly in an empty nest situation. Especially, on the
field/course that may interact with those people. This study will serve as reference material in
elderly advocacies, or generally in thesis making.

To Social Workers and Institutional Care for Older Age, this study will invite developmental
for the well-being of elderly in an empty nest situation and initiative advocating for the rights
and privileges of the elderly.

To Researchers, this study will help the researcher to understand the well-being of elderly
and their empty nest situation.

To Government Organization and Non-Government Organization, this study will inspire

organizations and let them aware for well-being of elderly and the empty nest situation.

To legislators and other policy makers that promote development on well-being of elderly. This
study will serve as proof of the strengths and areas to improve the phenomenon empty nest of
elderly in the country.

To elderly people, this study is for the welfare/well-being of elderly empty nesters in the
Philippines. Also, they will know their worth and dignity despite of their age.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The focus of this study is to recognize the empty nest situation of the elderly in barangay 837,
Pandacan, Manila. It also covers the emotions of elderly people when experiencing empty nest
situation. The research sample is composed of five (5) elderly people and it is limited for elderly
who residing in Barangay 837, Pandacan, Manila. The primary data gathering method used
was interview to determine what elderly people actually feel. This research used snowball

sampling.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The researchers used the social work perspectives which includes; The Generalist
Perspective, Strength Perspective, Person in Environment, Ecosystem Perspective and the
Biopsychosocial Perspective.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Elderly

Conceptual: is old or rather old: past middle age

Operational: a person who is 60 years old and above

Empty nest

Conceptual:
Operational: Empty nest is about elderly parents living alone in their home without
the presence of their children.

Empty nester

Conceptual: A parent whose children have grown up and moved away from home.
Operational:

Depression, anxiety, grief, biological, psychological, social, well-being

 CHAPTER II

RELATED REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Aging is a natural occurring process that is multidimensional with biological, psychological,

and sociological components that act upon an organism.

The empty nest defines elderly adults with no children around to relieve their solitude, who
thus live alone or with a spouse. Unaccompanied and unattended, empty nest elderly adults
are vulnerable and usually experience the physical, psychological, and social problems
associated with old age. In addition, elderly empty nesters experience psychosocial problems
such as depression, loneliness, and anxiety. The term empty nest syndrome is used to
describe this condition but it is not a clinical. Empty nest syndrome is a grief and loneliness
parents may feel when their children leave home for the first time, such as to live on their
own or to attend a college or university. Since young adults moving out from their families
home is generally a normal and healthy event, the symptoms of empty nest syndrome often
go unrecognized. This can result in depression and a loss of purpose for parents, since the
departure of their children from the nest leads to adjustments in parents lives. Especially it
is common in full-time mothers, fathers or parents. From,
https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/empty-nest-syndrome

The well-being is defined a positive outcome that is meaningful for people and for many
sectors of society, because it tells us that people perceive that their lives are going well. Good
living conditions (e.g., housing, employment) are fundamental to well-being. Tracking these
conditions is important for public policy. However, many indicators that measure living
conditions fail to measure what people think and feel about their lives, such as the quality of
their relationships, their positive emotions and resilience, the realization of their potential, or
their overall satisfaction with lifei.e., their well-being. Well-being generally includes
global judgments of life satisfaction and feelings ranging from depression to joy. In addition,
the well-being has no consensus but there is general agreement that at minimum, well-being
includes the presence of positive emotions and moods (e.g., contentment, happiness), the
absence of negative emotions (e.g., depression, anxiety), satisfaction with life, fulfillment and
positive functioning. In simple terms, well-being can be described as judging life positively
and feeling good. For public health purposes, physical well-being (e.g., feeling very healthy
and full of energy) is also viewed as critical to overall well-being. Researchers from different
disciplines have examined different aspects of well-being that include the following: physical
well-being, economic well-being, social well-being, development and activity, emotional
well-being, psychological well-being, life satisfaction, domain specific satisfaction, engaging
activities and work. From, https://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/wellbeing.htm

According to social work studies, well-being is a term frequently found in the description of
social work values and codes of conduct (Thelma Lee Mendoza book, social welfare
encompasses the well-being of all the members of human society, including their physical,
mental, emotional, social, economic, and spiritual well-being.) In the National Association of
Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, the preamble begins, The primary mission of the
social work profession is to enhance human well-being . . . and later, A historic and
defining feature of social work is the professions focus on individual well-being in a social
context and the well- being of society (2008, preamble). The Council on Social Work
Education (CSWE), in its Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards ([EPAS], 2008),
states that the purpose of the social work profession is to promote human and community
well- being (p. 1). In the Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles, the International
Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International association of Schools of Social
Work (IASSW) define social work as a profession that promotes social change, problem
solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance
well- being (IFSW & IASSW, 2004, p. 1).

According to Dr. George Engel and Dr. John Romano, the biopsychosocial perspective is
more appropriate when analyzing the causes of mental illness. This model introduces the idea
that there are biological, psychological, and social determinants to mental health. This idea
links the outside world to someones biology and psyche. It also involves our consciousness,
sentiments, and behaviors. One reason why the biopsychosocial perspective is so useful is
because it explains how some people who are seemingly healthy can get mental illnesses
and why some are more prone to mental illness than others. Those who are mentally healthy
most likely exercise, have positive energy and strong social bonds does not exempt them
from mental illness. This perspective gives evidence that although someone can be mentally
healthy at some point in their life, they can still experience mental illness if their
biopsychosocial balance is disturbed. However, the biopsychosocial model interactions
between peoples genetic makeup (biology), mental health and personality (psychology),
and sociocultural environment (social world) contribute to their experience of health or
illness. The biological influences on mental health and mental illness are varied, and include
genetics, infections, physical trauma, nutrition, hormones, and toxins. The psychological
component looks for potential psychological explanations for a health problem, such as lack
of self-control, emotional turmoil, or negative thinking. Social and cultural factors are
conceptualized as a particular set of stressful events (being laid off, for example) that can
differentially impact mental health depending on the individual and his or her social context.
And the biopsychosocial theory posits that each one of these factors is not sufficient to create
health or mental illness, but the interaction between them determines the course of ones
development. This perspective can give clinical workers many benefits when treating a
mentally ill patient. They are now able to apply every aspect of the patients life to their
illness. Those with mental illness can now gain a sense of self-awareness. Mental illness
sufferers can understand their health as a whole entity with several parts that function
together. It also broadens the way we view a mental illness by no longer looking at it as a
black or white issue. Also, this perspective challenges the stigma on mental illness by
enabling people to realize that anyone can suffer from a mental illness because we all have
biological, psychological, and social influencers in our lives.

Local Study & Related Literature

In Philippines, the number of older people was increasing rapidly by urbanization and
modernization, faster than growth in the total population. In year 2000, there were 4.6 million
senior citizens (60 years or older), representing about 6% of the total population. In one
decade, this grew to 6.5 million older people or about 6.9% of the total population. The
National Statistics Office projects that by 030, older people will make up around 11.5 % of
the total population. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), a nearly a third (31.4%) of older people were living in poverty in 2000. Currently,
this number is estimated to be 1.3 million older people. More than half of all older people
 (57.1%) were employed in 2000. More males were employed (63.6%) than women (37.4%).
The majority of those employed (41%) were involved in primary economic activities such as
farming, forestry work and fishing.

Statistics on the Philippines Population of Older People

2012 2050
Older People Total Population 5,905,000 23,633,000

Older people as percentage of 6.1% 15.3%

total population
Life expectancy for males 66 years old -
(elderly)
Life expectancy for females 73 years old -
(elderly)

Based on the statistics of Philippines population for older people conducted by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in year 2012, the population of
older people in the Philippines is 5,905,000 or 6.1% of total population. The Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expect in the year 2050 that the population of
elderly will increase up to 23,633,000 or 15.3%. The life expectancy for older men in the
Philippines is up to 66 years old only, while the life expectancy for older women in the
Philippines is up to 73 years old.

2012

Old age dependency ratio (ratio of people 65+ to 7%

those of working age)
Older people in poverty 1.3 M

Older women as a percentage of the population 53.8 %

aged 60+
In year 2012, there are 7% of the population of older person in the Philippines that still
working at the age of 65 and above. It also appeared that there are 1.3 million of older person
is under poverty. There is also 53.8% of older women who is 60 years and above.

According to the DOH, the proportion of older persons is expected to rise worldwide. In the
Philippines, the population of 60 years or older was 3.7 million in 1995 or 5.4% of total
population. In the CY 2000 census, this has increased to about 4.8 million or almost 6%
(NSCB). At present there are 7M senior citizens (6.9% of the total population), 1.3M of
which are indigents. With the rise of the aging population is the increase in the demand for
health services by the elderly. A study done by Racelis et al (2003) on the share of health
expenditure of Filipino elderly on the National Health Account, the elderly is relatively
heavy consumers of personal health care (22%) and relatively light consumers of public
health care (5%). From out-of-pocket costs, the aged are heavy users of care provided by
medical centers, hospitals, non-hospital health facilities and traditional care facilities.
Cognizant of the growing concerns of the older population, laws and policies were developed
which would provide them with enabling mechanisms for them to have quality life.

Numbers of Senior Citizens of District 1 to 6 in Manila

District I 24,121
District II 15,480
District III 14,706
District IV 20,993
District V 19,940
District VI 21,803
Total 117,043

According to OSCA or Office for Senior Citizens Affairs, the older people in Manila as of
September 8, 2017 is a total of 117,043. A highest number of senior citizens is in District I,
following the District VI.

Related Laws and Policies

The Philippine Government has enacted laws that cater to the needs and provides privileges
and benefits to older persons.

Republic Act No. 7876 entitled An Act Establishing a Senior Citizens Center in all Cities
and Municipalities of the Philippines, and Appropriating Funds Therefore provides for the
establishment of Senior Citizens Centers to cater to older persons socialization and
interaction needs as well as to serve as a venue for the conduct of other meaningful activities.
The DSWD in coordination with other government agencies, NGOs and peoples
organizations shall provide the necessary technical assistance in the form of social and
recreational services, health and personal care services, spiritual services, livelihood services
and volunteer resource services.

Republic Act No. 9994, also known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 and R.A
10645 a Filipino citizen who is 60 years old or above may apply for senior citizen card which
will be issued by the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) in the city or municipality
where the senior citizen resides (Gov.ph, 2015). The benefits of having a senior citizen card
includes a 20% discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on goods and
services from all establishments, mandatory Phil Health coverage, income tax exemption of
minimum wage earners, some free medical services, and express lanes privileges.

The benefits enumerated in R.A 9994 and R.A 10645 indeed cover the basic needs of a
citizen, ranging from food, leisure, and health to special lanes. However, most of these
benefits are merely beneficial on the physical aspect of a human. Another factor that we also
need to examine is the living arrangements of the elderly to better describe the current
situation of senior citizens in the Philippines.

Presidential Proclamation No. 470, Series of 1994, declaring the first week of October of
every year as Elderly Filipino Week.

Executive Order No. 105, Series of 2003, approved and directed the implementation of the
program providing for group homes and foster homes for neglected, abandoned, abused,
detached, and poor older persons and persons with disabilities.
The Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD) has issued Administrative Order
No. 4 series of 2010, Guidelines on the Home Care Support Services for Senior Citizens,
establishing community based health care services for older persons.
The RA 9994 provides health care services for poor older persons such as free medical
services on government hospitals, discounted services on private hospitals and clinics, free
vaccines, discounted medicines, and mandatory Phil Health coverage.

The Philippine Plan of Action for Senior Citizens (2011-2016)

This plan aims to ensure giving priority to community-based approaches which are gender-
responsive, with effective leadership and meaningful participation of senior citizens in
decision-making processes, both in the context of family and community. This plan of action
aims to ensure active aging for senior citizens where preventive and promote aspects of
health are emphasized in communities and where health services are accessible, affordable
and available at all times. Envisioning a population of senior citizens who are self-sufficient
and self-reliant, this plan aims to promote financial security and financial independence of
senior citizens by developing community-based local delivery systems to address their needs.

Foreign Study & Related Literature

According to UN study, the older population has been growing at an unprecedented rate. In
1980, just prior to the convening of the First World Assembly on Ageing, there were 378
million people in the world aged 60 years or above. That figure has risen to 759 million over
the past three decades and is projected to jump to 2 billion by 2050.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

This chapter describes the methodology of the research study. The procedure,
the design, the sampling technique, the respondents, the instruments to be
used, and the data gathering procedure of the research are as follows:

Procedure
We initiate in related review of literature by reading many books, journal articles, and
national laws and policies about elderly relating to the well-being of elderly in an empty nest
situation study. In order to acquire the necessary information needed for this study, the
researchers gathered data through library visits, agency visit and surfing internet access.
Books, e-books and magazines related to this study were thoroughly read. The internet access
also contributed the information in this paper.

Research Design

This study will use Qualitative Research style as a method of research. The study aims to
explore the totality of elderly in an empty nest situation in barangay 837, Pandacan,
Manila. Also, Case study is the used method. It is the appropriate method to use, because it is
more applicable to use in this type of study, which will give more information about a
respondent who is the elderly. Their life experiences and current life status will help the
researchers to recognize the well-being of elderly in an empty nest situation living in
Pandacan, Manila area. This method can give answers about what the researcher wants to get.

Sampling Techniques

The researchers will use snowball sampling as a technique in determining

the respondents. Snowball sampling is a non-probability sampling technique that is used
by researchers to identify potential subjects in studies where subjects are hard to locate.
Respondents will be chosen by their involvement in empty nest elderly,
exclusive in the barangay subject.

Respondents of the study

The respondents of the study will be Barangay Officials of Barangay 837,

Pandacan, Manila; the empty nest elderly representative, the Barangay
Chairman, and the Barangay Kagawads.

The empty nest elderly representative of barangay 837 were chosen as

respondents because they supposedly handle the empty nest situation.

The Barangay Chairman of barangay were chosen as respondents because they

overseer the whole barangay functionality.
 The Barangay Kagawads of barangay were chosen as respondents because
they automatically become aid in service implementation, regardless what
sector.

Research Instrument

Interview and Case study cases, will be used by the researchers as an

instrument in this research. Interview will be a method to assess the
respondents perspective, and experiences towards practicing elderly sector
service. Case study cases will be used as well to get more information in an
empty nest elderly situation.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will coordinate with the barangay to get informal permission,
later formally request to conduct a research study in their barangay.

The researchers will first examine the existing data of the elderly in
barangay 837. After examining the existing data, the researchers will then
use a semi-structure type of interview to the empty nest elderly
representative, then the barangay chairman, lastly with the kagawads. Number
of interviews would depend on the sufficiency of results collected from every
interviewee, and on the barangay cooperation.