Rethinking successful aging: Older female volunteers’ perspectives in Taiwan

Abstract

Asia and the Pacific have been increasingly becoming home to a very large proportion of older persons. It is also known that women are the majority of the senior population in most countries and age differently from men. This study aims to understand what successful aging means to elderly women in Taiwan, a country where the proportion of the elderly population has become the largest in Southeast Asia since 1990. In-depth interviews with 14 older female volunteers were analyzed to identify the components of successful aging. The respondents defined successful aging as follows: (1) being healthy, (2) having no financial worries, (3) maintaining connections with family and friends, (4) contributing to society, and (5) desiring a good death, not longevity. Gender roles and Asian culture were seen to be intertwined with these women's perceptions, which contribute to rethinking existing models and literature in both gerontology and women's studies. The findings of this study can also facilitate better programs and services for women so that they can reach a good old age.

Abstract in Chinese

亞太地區為全球高齡人口比例最高的區域, 由於女性在大多數國家是高齡人口的主要組成, 且女性老化的歷程與男性不同, 是以, 本研究以自1990年起老年人口比例佔東南亞之首的台灣為研究場域, 研究目的在瞭解高齡女性的成功老化感知。藉由深度訪談14位高齡女性志工, 本研究發現高齡女性認為成功老化必備的元素包括: (1)健康、(2)沒有經濟上的煩惱、(3)與家人及朋友保持良好互動連繫、(4)貢獻社會、及(5)善終。上述發現及針對其背後考量中因著女性角色與亞洲文化之影響的討論, 有助對現今老年學及女性研究的理論模型及文獻進一步再做思考, 並促進對女性得到好命老年的更適切方案與服務之擬定。

Keywords:

• successful aging
• women
• Asian culture
• qualitative research
• volunteerism

• 成功老化
• 女性
• 亞洲文化
• 質性研究
• 志願服務

Notes on contributor

Li-Kuang CHEN is an assistant professor at the Institute of Gerontology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. She finished her PhD in the Adult Education Program, Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy and gained graduate certificates on both gerontology and qualitative research at University of Georgia in USA. Her research interests focus on the relationships between gender and successful aging under the culture context in Taiwan.