Huge increase in elderly population is very fast in Korea. However, Korea has lack of laws, regulation and public welfare in terms of elderly problems compare to the other countries. Therefore it will cause serious social problems. Also middle aged ad...
Huge increase in elderly population is very fast in Korea. However, Korea has lack of laws, regulation and public welfare in terms of elderly problems compare to the other countries. Therefore it will cause serious social problems. Also middle aged adults who will enter the old age need a preparation for the next step.
At the middle Ages, human’s life cyc1e tend to be socially and financially top of everything. They play very important role in society also in corporate. Stable financial status and mature relationships are also the part of middle age. However, it is time start feeling physical aging and limitation of life, although with successful life and career. Dec1ining of life cyc1e, retirement of career and no more achievement are the following after the physical aging.
Along with revaluating and ref1ections of life, it is time to prepare for old age in midlife.
This study examined the variables that effect the preparation for old age in midlife and attitude toward elderly, related to negative prejudices and stereo type of elderly in modem society.
This study is based on a preliminary survey of 130 middle ages (40-60years) live in Seoul, South Korea, from April 24, 2009 to May 10, 2009. From May 20 to June 13 the second survey was done from 613 people. After the second survey total 602 people retum the resu1t(retumrate 98.2%) except 29 of unfulfilled survey. Therefore it was distributed total 602 questionnaires analyzed 573 of them for final data.
Data was analyzed with demographic characters of middle ages and frequency of experiences of aged parents by using SPSS 12.0 program. Also t-test and one-way ANOV A were done in order to find out the effects of demographic character and experiences of aged parents, attitude toward elderly and preparation for old age. After that Duncan was done to verify the significant differences of data. Mu1tiple regression analysis was done to examine the facts that effects on attitude toward elderly as well.
The results of this study were as follows:
1) According to the demographic characters of middle age’s attitude toward elderly showed distinctively different depend on the religion.
2) In the attitude toward the aged by variables related aging parents, frequency of contact with aged parents and residence period satisfactory. The result shows that positive attitude and an experience with aged parents play an important role in how people feel about elderly.
3) 1n the preparation for old age that is related to gender, ages, religion, income and the number of family members were diverse. Especially 4 main preparation facts which were physica1, financia1, leisure time and psychologica1 preparation showed the big differences depend on gender and income. Age and religion were the main facts for physical and leisure time preparation. And the number of family members effected the psychologica1 preparatlOn.
4) 1n the old age preparation related to aged parents showed the differences depend on education level, hea1th, and financial level of aged parents. Frequency of contact with aged parents such as physical distance, number of time they meet, frequency of phone communication, and the knowledge of the relationship were the facts that gave the affirmative differences. Also residence with aged parents and satisfactory of that experience were various depend on existence of residence experiences and satisfactory of it.
5) From the examination of variables influencing on physical preparation behavior of middle age, only gender was significant fact. The gender explained 4% of the variance in physica1 preparation behavior in step 1. 1n other words, women had higher preparation level. 1n step 2, gender, financi머 status and frequency of phone communication with aged parents were the significant facts that influence the preparation. These explained 8% of the second step. The last step 3 was the examination of attitude toward elderly. The result illustrated that gender of middle age, financia1 status, frequency of phone communication and satisfaction of residence with parents influenced 9.5% of facts.
For the second, in the step 1 the gender of middle age and income were significant facts that influence the financia1 preparation and it took 11% of the result. In step 2, gender of aged parents, financia1 status, frequency of phone communication and the satisfactory of residence were the main facts that affected 23%. In step 3, gender, income of middle age and financia1 status of aged parents, frequency of phone conversation, the reason of residence with parents and satisfaction of residence took 35% of the reason.
Third, in order to ana1yze the influence on psychological preparation, demographic research was done at step 1. The gender, income and the number of family members of middle age were the 5% facts of the result. When the variables influencing on aged parents were added in the step 2, gender, financia1 status, frequency of meeting, frequency of phone communication, the reason and satisfactory of resident with aged parents explained 15% of facts. At the step 3, when we added attitude toward elderly gender of mid age, religion or mid age, financia1 status of aged parents, the reason of resident with aged parents, satisfactory of resident affect the psychological preparation and it took 21%.
Forth, to examine the relevant facts that affected leisure time preparation. After analyzing the demographic research on step 1, gender, age, religion of middle age, education level, financial status of aged parents and frequency of meeting were the 12% facts that influenced the result. On step 2, gender, religion, income of middle age and education level, financial status of aged parents, frequency of meeting affected 21% of reason of leisure time preparation. After examined the attitude facts toward elderly on step 3, gender, religion, income of middle age and financial status of aged parents, and physical distance with parents took 24% of influence.
In consequence, put various analyze together the facts that influenced the preparation for old age in midlife were demographic facts of mid age, aged parents, frequency of contact with parents, experience with aged parents and satisfactory of it. However, the attitude toward elderly didn’t affect the preparation. At the same time, female had higher preparation level than male overall 4 steps.
In order to make mid age have a prepared old age life with positive attitude, there should be a plan to expand the exchange between generation that suggest idle type of old age life.
Also, the opportunity that middle age can volunteer to find out more about elderly and education that could improve mother in law relationships. Also preparation training with aged parents is the policy that can help to have better understanding and communication between elderly and middle age.
The training program that can help mid age prepare and plan to become an old age will be necessary. Especially to increase participate of middle age on program, such as weekend program and training program at work are recommended. Middle age should be able to carry on active elderly life style through these programs and trainings with supportive consideration.