While achieving phenomenal economic growth, Korea is aging at an unprecedented rate worldwide. In this situation, life satisfaction of the elderly is attracting attention. Compared to OECD member countries and many other countries in the world, life s...
While achieving phenomenal economic growth, Korea is aging at an unprecedented rate worldwide. In this situation, life satisfaction of the elderly is attracting attention. Compared to OECD member countries and many other countries in the world, life satisfaction of Korean elderly people is 36th among 47 countries. In other words, despite the rapid increase in the elderly population, life satisfaction is low. The life satisfaction of the elderly shows a great change depending on the economic factors and the social participation in leisure time after retirement. However, existing researches are studying economic factors of the elderly as income. It is necessary to investigate the economic factors of the elderly as assets in accordance with the existing research and theory of welfare based on assets that the income of the elderly decreases after the retirement and the elderly uses the accumulated assets before the retirement. Therefore, the relationship between the elderly 's assets, social participation, and life satisfaction was investigated.
First of all, through the theory of asset welfare effect, we examined the relationship between assets and life satisfaction of elderly people, assets of elderly people and social participation. And the theory of welfare based on assets explains the enjoyment of various welfare given by assets. In other words, assets not only ensure economic stability, but also reduce psychological pressure on sudden loss of income due to accidents or illnesses. The reduction of economic stability and psychological pressure makes individuals feel satisfied with their current lives. And assets make individuals have a future-oriented attitude. This is because they can utilize assets to cover the cost of achieving their goals. Furthermore, older people with assets have more opportunities to build more social relationships than elderly people who do not have assets, and can obtain a various of information in this process. Information about new institutions or places that can fulfill the activities and needs of the elderly can also be obtained.
Next, the relationship between social participation and life satisfaction of the elderly can be explained through activity theory. Older people have the same social needs as before retirement. The social needs of the elderly are met through a role that can replace the pre-retirement social role. This role is achieved through social participation. In other words, the theory of activity explains that the elderly will be given a role in social participation through which they will be active, and the social desire will be satisfied and the life satisfaction will be enhanced. These theoretical considerations lead to the hypothesis that elderly assets will affect life satisfaction and social participation will mediate this effect.
In order to verify the research hypothesis in this study, we used 6th data of the National Elderly Protection Panel Survey and conducted research on a total of 4,025 elderly people. In addition, Baron & Kenny analysis and Sobel-Test were conducted to rigorously verify the mediating effect.
First of all, the results of this study are as follows. First, the more life-long assets of the elderly, the higher the life satisfaction. Second, as the elderly 's assets increased, the social participation increased and the life satisfaction increased accordingly.
Next, the implications that can be discussed based on the results of this study are as follows. First, current asset formation support projects are focused on children and young people. However, the fact that the elderly population is increasing, the assets have a positive effect on life satisfaction, and it is a motive factor of social participation, it is necessary to activate the asset formation support business centered on the elderly. Second, since assets are not accumulated in the short term, there is a need to expand financial education services for asset formation support projects and asset formation, focusing on middle ages before 65 years of age. Finally, it is necessary to develop a variety of customized programs that will enable the elderly to accumulate asset and social participation.