Impact of widowhood on widow pensioners and their childern a sociological study

Abstract

Widow Pensioners were the unit of analysis for the present study. The present study was carried out on 260 widow pensioners who were getting pensions from Social Welfare Department. Hence, using simple random sampling, a total sample of 260 widows with at least one child and minimum ten years of widowhood period (130 from Chandigarh and 130 from Mohali district, Punjab) were drawn. Role theory and Dependency theory were used in combination to highlight the impact of widowhood on widows and their children. The research design was both exploratory and descriptive in the study. It is a harsh reality that widows confronted health, psychological, financial, social challenges and problems related to physical well- being after widowhood. They found financial, time conflict and social adjustment issues in rearing children. Widows sought support from their parents, in-laws, siblings, siblings of husbands, neighbours, friends, relatives and children in making adjustment to widowhood. Widows complained about unsatisfactory pension amount, delay in disbursement of pension etc. Government interventions are required in helping out widows. They expected free education up to graduation in any stream; generation of employment avenues for them and their children; financial assistance for their daughters marriage; and creation of emergency fund for regular pension from the Government. They urged that their family should consider it as their foremost responsibility to provide unconditional support in adjustment to widowhood. They also expected that society should have a compassionate and empathetic attitude towards them. newline