ABSTRACT
Growing old is not a new phenomenon, it has been existing for long. In olden days, old people are properly taken care by both their people and the government but today such has changed enormously. The aged are no longer valued or seen as being important. The society sees or perceive the old as been inferior. However, the way and manner that the society view or look at them most especially our youths, calls for concern. The youths in Alayi community in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State perceive the aged as been a social burden to their community. The aged ones unlike in some parts of the world have lost the respect that is due to them to the youths, The aged are being oppressed, marginalized and discriminated upon by those that suppose to take care of them. This results in all sorts of problems bedeviling our aged ones like economic, financial, psychological, health and otherwise. The researcher made use of 400 respondents carefully selected from the villages that make up Alayi. unless something serious is done, the way and manner that the aged are been perceived will continue to escalate. In addition, the researcher made some major findings in this work and also highlighted some recommendation that will help change the negative perception about the aged by the youths. some of these major findings include different factor were found out to be responsible for the way and manner that the aged ones are perceive as not a disadvantageous group in our society today it was also discovered that the aged develop some problems when they are perceived as not being important it was also found out that modernization has resulted in the total neglect of our aged population. Similarly, some of the major recommendations made by the researcher that will help change the negative perception about the aged by the youths are briefly re stated here, the youths and other members of society should see it as a fundamental purpose to give respect to the aged as and when due. Urgent and drastic measures should be taken towards the removal of all forms of oppression, discrimination and stereotyping been meted out to the aged. The researcher also recommended that adequate attention is to be paid by all sundry in helping to counsel the aged on the need to accept their conditions.



TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page- --- - - - - - - - - - ii
Approval page- - - - - - - - - - iii
Certification page - -- - - - - - - - iv
Dedication- - - - - - - - - - - v
Acknowledgement- - - - - - - - - vi
Abstract- - - - - - - - - - - vii
Table of content- - - - - - - - - - viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study- - - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem- - - - - - - 3
1.3 Research Questions- - - - - - - - 6
1.4 Objectives of Study- - - - - - - - 6
1.5 Significance of the Study- - - - - - - 7
1.6 Definition of Terms- - - - - - - - 8

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Concept Clarification- - - - - - - - 10
2.2 Perception of the Aged by Different Author- - - - - 11
2.3 Discriminatory/Perception of the Aged among the Youths- - 11
2.4 How People Aged- - - - - - - - - 13
2.5 Perception of the Public towards the Aged- - - - - 14
2.6 Review of Related Theories- - - - - - - 15
2.7 Theoretical Frame Work- - - - - - - 21
2.8 Hypotheses- - - - - - - - - 23



CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 
3.1 Research Design- - - - - - - - - 24
3.2 Area of Study- - - - - - - - - 25
3.3 Population of the Study- - - - - - - - 26
3.4 Sample Size- - - - - - - - - 26
3.5 Scope of the Study- - - - - - - - 29
3.6 Sampling Technique- - - - - - - - 29
3.7 Instruments for Data Collection- - - - - - 30
3.8 Methods of Data Analysis- - - - - - - 31

CHAPTER FOUR DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Personal Data of Respondents- - - - - - - 32
4.2 Analysis of Research Questions- - - - - - 36
4.3 Test of Hypotheses- - - - - - - - 42
4.4 Discussion of Findings- - - - - - - - 44

CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND          RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary of Findings- - - - - - - - 47
5.2 Conclusion- - - - - - - - - - 48
5.3 Recommendations- - - - - - - - 49
References- - - - - - - - - - 51
Appendixes 1-- - - - - - - - - 53
Appendixes 2- - - - - - - - - 54