The purpose of this study was to review problems with policies about charged residential welfare facilities for the aged and present a direction for improving them. That is, it intended to offer fundamental help to activate charged residential welfare...
The purpose of this study was to review problems with policies about charged residential welfare facilities for the aged and present a direction for improving them. That is, it intended to offer fundamental help to activate charged residential welfare facilities for the aged.
For this purpose, this study conducted a research by visiting charged residential welfare facilities for the aged and reviewed literature and the results of prior researches to find out properties and present the present conditions of these facilities. Another review was made on the results of prior researches on residential situations for the aged and policies about domestic and foreign residence for the aged. On this basis, a survey was conducted with experts on residential welfare for the aged, employees at charged residential welfare facilities for the aged, and residents.
A survey was conducted by non-probability purposive sampling of residents and employees at charged residential welfare facilities for the aged in Seoul and GyeongGi areas on the basis of the Actual Conditions of Welfare Facilities for the Aged in 2010 presented by the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs at December 31, 2009. Another survey was conducted by non-probability purposive sampling of experts among members of the Association of Products And Services for Senior Citizens(KAPASS). The survey was conducted by e-mailing, faxing, and personal visit to facilities for group-based face-to-face interview. Of a total of 500 respondents, data from a total of 279 persons―94 residents, 92 employees, and 93 experts―were used for the analysis, with the final response rate estimated at 55.8%. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and correlation analysis.
The main results of the analysis are as follows:
First, charged residential welfare facilities for the aged were inactivated by interaction among many problems, such as poor policies, complicated management systems, and poor economic support. Second, schemes for improving policies to activate charged residential welfare facilities for the aged included standardization of legal application, relaxation of regulations, equal application of taxation systems, and financial support. Third, in terms of fields, residents had higher needs for service and employees had relatively higher needs for relaxation of regulations and support, with both groups feeling high needs in general. Fourth, it is necessary to support supply of residential facilities for elders in the middle class, make housing fund loan support system, permit exemption from additional tax, provide operating fees, and relieve living together with direct descendants in order to activate charged residential welfare facilities for the aged.
In conclusion, it is urgent to modify relevant legislations in order to activate charged residential welfare facilities for the aged to meet consumers' expectation as the key to solving the problems of the aged which gradually become serious in modern society. It is also necessary to standardize all administrative affairs related to establishment and operation of charged residential welfare facilities for the aged and take measures to protect and nurture those facilities, which have been neglected by the existing legislations because of charge, like those for infants/young children and the disabled. To protect the aged, who are consumers, coexistence-oriented policies by which charged residential welfare facilities for the aged can satisfy consumers, suppliers, and experts all must be realized by inducing privately active participation and by easing regulations.