The purpose of this study is to explore the differences of the level of preparation for elderly life between Korean middle aged singles and marrieds, and to provide basic materials for developing old-age welfare policy and fostering the silver industr...
The purpose of this study is to explore the differences of the level of preparation for elderly life between Korean middle aged singles and marrieds, and to provide basic materials for developing old-age welfare policy and fostering the silver industry.
This study was done through questionnaires with 249 middle-aged employees. The major findings are as follows:
First, clear different domains of preparation for elderly life between middle-aged singles and marrieds were economic and physical one. Specifically, Singles of the middle-aged appeared to make a better preparation for the elderly life than the marrieds of that age.
Second, the average saving per month for the elderly ilfe was examined, and the singles group proved to save more than the married group. And it was true of the average savings ratio. All of these results are in line with the previously commented result, which showed the singles group's better preparation fir the elderly life in economic level.
Third, the ability to handle daily cost and the perception economic ability of singles was higher than that of the marrieds. However, satisfaction of economic preparation for elderly life was low in both groups.
Fourth, married people were found to think the government and social organizations have to take more portion of responsibility about the people's elderly life. This result can be interpreted that the married people, who have relative lower level of preparation for elderly life, expect more of the support from the formal entities in society like government or social organizations.
Fifth, the general lever of preparation for elderly life was higher in the singles than the married.
As analysed above, the level of preparation for elderly life between Korean middle aged singles and marrieds was different in various aspects, and generally singles group was higher than the married.
Finally, the implications of this study and the limitations were discussed, and several directions for the future research were suggested.