Abstract

Statement: A study to assess the effectiveness of Guided Imagery on level of Stress among the Elderly in Selected Old Age homes of Aurangabad city, Maharashtra. Objectives:1 To assesses the level of stress among the elderly.2 To determine the effectiveness of Guided Imagery on level of stress among elderly.3 To associate the level of stress among the elderly with their selected demographic variables. Hypothesis: H0: There is no significant reduction in the level of stress among the elderly after administering guided imagery. H1: There is significant reduction in the level of stress among the elderly after administering guided imagery. Research methodology: Approach and Design: Evaluative approach. A quasi experimental nonequivalent control group design was used for study. Sampling technique: Non probable convenient sampling technique was used for selection of sample. Sampling Size: 60 (Experimental-30, Control-30). Setting: Old age homes. Reliability: Reliability of tool was done with the help of split half method (r = 0.87). Pilot Study: After reliability pilot study was conducted on 10 samples. Tool: Pre test done (Both experimental & control group) with the help of modified stress assessment scale through structural interview schedule. After assessment of stress level prior to intervention than 20 minute guided imagery given to experimental group with the help of audio tape of guided imagery CD for 14 days. On 15th day onward post test was done in experimental and control group. Results: Study finding of level of stress among the Elderly: In Experimental group 16.7% of the elderly had mild stress, more than half (56.7%) of them had moderate stress and 26.7% of them had severe stress. In control group, 40% of them had mild stress, 56.7% of them had moderate stress and 3.3% of them had severe stress.Study findings of effect of guided imagery: In pre test, in Experimental group, 16.7% of the elderly had mild stress, more than half (56.7%) of them had moderate stress and 26.7% of them had severe stress. In post test, 80% of them had mild stress and 20% of them had moderate stress. This indicates that the stress level significantly reduced after guided imagery.The ‘t’value was found to be 12.9 at 29 degrees of freedom. P-value at 29 degrees of freedom was 0.000. Since the p-value is small (less than 0.05), the null hypothesis is rejected. Stress score in pretest was 97.2 which reduces to 66.6 in posttest. This indicates that the level of stress of elderly improves significantly after guided imagery.The ‘t’ value was found to be 6.3 at 58 degrees of freedom. P-value at 58 degrees of freedom was 0.000. Since the p-value is small (less than 0.05), the null hypothesis is rejected. The mean difference in stress score is 30.6 for experimental group which was 5.1 for control group.For experimental gorup the average change in stress score is significantly higher tham that in control group. Conclusion:The study revealed that guided imagery is very effective and safe method to reduce the level of stress among the elderly.

• 1.   Shinelal, S.V. (2014). “A study to assess the effectiveness of guided imagery on stress Among Elderly in Selected Old Age Homes at Mangalore, Karnataka” M.SC Nursing Mental Health (Psychiatric) Nursing.
• 2.   Strumpf, N. (2015). “Probing the temporal world of the elderly” inter,N J of Nursing Study, 2(3); 10:1529-1536.
• 3.   Stephen, P. (2011). “Guided Imagery-Relief for Stress and Emotions During Breast Cancer Treatment”, June 29, 2011.
• 4.   David , B. (2014). Raising Pain Tolerance Using Guided Imagery, Lac, July 1, 2010.
• 5.   Dossey, B. (2013). Holistic modalities and healing moments American Journal of nursing 2008 June; 98(6) 44-7.
• 6.   Brigham, D. and Toal, P. (2013). “The use of imagery in a multimodal psychoneuro immunology program for cancer and other chronic diseases In: Kunzendorf, ed. Proceedings of 11th and 12th Annual conference of American Association for study of mental Imagery”; June 15-18, Washington, DC. June 14-17, Lowell, Boston;147-274.
• 7.   Jacob v. (2005). Effectiveness of guided imagery in reduction of stress among patients with chronic renal failure in a selected hospital in Mangalore.
• 8.   Dr. Miller's What is Guided Imagery [Internet] ].[cited 2013December 4] available from http://drmiller.com/learning-center/guidedimagery.
• 9.   T.Bhaskara Rao. Text Book of Community Medicine. 2nd edition. paras Publication: Hyderabad India . 2004; P- 542 -543
• 10.   Kaplan and Sadock. Synopsis of psychiatry. 10th edition, Published by Wolterskluwer (India) pvt. ltd: New Delhi ; P.1348.
• 11.   Archana Singh and Nishi Mistra. Loneliness, depression and sociability in old age. Industrial Psychiatric Journal. [Internet].2009Jan18 (1);Pp51-55 [cited on2013 December 5 ]available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3016701.
• 12.   Senthil Kavitha and Sasikala G., Effective guided imagery technique on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) was measured among college girls, Nightingale Nursing Times, Aug 2013; Volume 8 (5) , Aug.; P- 18-20.
• 13.   Tusek D L ,Cwynar R, Cosgrave DM,Effect of guided imagery on the length of stay, Pain and anxietyin cardiac patient’, Journal of cardiovascular management, march 2003;Volume 6 (5); Pp 22-28.
• 14.   Carolyn Aldwin & Loriena A. Yancure ‘Effects of stress on health and aging’ [Internet] [Place unknown], California Agriculture 64(4): Pp18-183, October-December 2010 {Cited Jan 2014} available from http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.edu/landingpage.cfm.

Data Sharing Statement

Funding