도시노인의 일상생활 분석을 통한 노년기 적응유형 연구

A study of Daily Life and Categories of Adjustment to Old Age of the Elderly living in the City

The purpose of this study was to investigate how old persons living in the city spent their days and how daily life was experienced. In order to cover as many aspects as possible of the subject, a qualitative method with in-depth interviews was used. The participants were previously categorized into five different patterns of adjustment to old age. The five categories of adjustment are ranked from positive to negative experiences and adjustments to old age: The participants in Category A. Mature Aging, took great pleasure in their varying and more practical activities and saw old age as a natural ending of a good life. Category B. Adapting, were quite dissatisfied with their lives but they felt they could influence their present situation and they could sustain their integrity. Category C. Dependent, were strongly dependent on their families. Category D. Resignedly Accepting, experience their present liver as tedious and filled with losses. Category E. Despairing, felt helpless, superfluous or humiliated and had great difficulties in adjusting and they reacted with open despair. We found that daily life in old age could be active, enjoyable and meaningful. At the other extreme, it could also be experienced ad monotonous or meaningless. Their were gender and health status differences in adjustment to old age. The different ways of adjusting to daily life that are described in this study require diverse ways of approaching the elderly and clearly speak against stereotyped thinking in both policy and in care practice.