신 노년 문화 형성을 위한 모형 개발 연구

A Model Development Study for New Senior Culture Formation - Focusing on the Revitalization of Senior Centers -

Characterized by early current senior generation retirement and a longer life span, the life of the is expected to be quite different from that of the past generation. Living the senior life nowadays means living a life which is historically unprecedented. No generations of the past have ever lived a longer life in such rapid daily-changing surroundings as the current senior generation. In that sense, the current senior generation has taken the role of cultural avant-garde, exploring life ways no generations have ever traveled thus far and creating new significance for elderly life. Since around the year 2000, a notable tendency has been that the new senior generation itself has taken the initiative of forming the new senior culture. It was noted that the energetic image of recent seniors was much different from the past which was full of problems such as poverty, suicide, alienation and loneliness. Having a strong individuality, the new senior generation is energetic, cheerful and beautiful； this is totally different from the negative images of the past. The current senior generation considers the elderly life style as an endless extension of middle age . This investigative study focuses on senior culture development for successful aging, a theme which is actively discussed in the field of gerontology today. For the purpose of building a cultural city for seniors, this study examines theoretical and empirical studies on the new senior culture, probes the theoretical and policy-wide implications of the new senior culture, and suggests the revitalization of senior centers as an alternative for new senior culture.