제주시 지역경로당 이용실태와 활성화 방안 연구

Abstract

As the senile stage is getting longer with health and vitality due to prolonged average life span and improvements in living standards, elderly people in modern society is facing a longer senile stage than ever before. Accordingly, the concerns about how they spend the prolonged senile stage are increasing and the role of senior center has become very important where elderly people autonomously socialize and enjoy leisure activities such as hobby and entertainment. Especially, JeJu area is the longevity area and has the high proportion of elderly people compared with other areas and therefore, the study for revitalization of leisure activities for elderly people is needed to be conducted. The main purposes of this study are as follows. First, this study is to analyze the actual status and satisfaction according to the demographic characteristics of the elderly. Second, this study is to analyze the future function (role) of a senior center in which the elderly think and look for the plans for revitalization. To achieve these goals, this study was composed of the total of 5 chapters. The necessity and objective of this study, research methods and a range were described in chapter 1. The problems of the elderly and leisure activities in the aged society, and senior centers as recreational facilities were presented and previous studies were reviewed as a theoretical background in chapter 2. The analysis frame of this study, subjects, tools and data analysis methods were described in chapter 3. The analyses for the actual status of using community senior centers in Jeju City and satisfactions of subjects, the elderly people who are using centers, on senior centers and the future function (role) for senior centers were conducted in chapter 4. Summaries of results, recommendations for revitalization of senior centers and limitation of this study were presented. Analyses of status of usage, satisfaction and functions of senior centers were conducted through questionnaires and examination on the status. SPSS 12.0 (Statistical Package for Social Science, version 12.0) statistical program was used to analyze if there were no statistically significant differences. The summaries of results are as follows. First, results of survey on actual status of using the senior centers showed that there were statistically significant differences of frequency of using senior centers in gender, religion, the presence of occupation, average monthly income and residence with p<.01 level and there was statistically significant differences in main source of income with p<.1 level. The results of survey on experience for using programs at senior centers showed that experience in public health care programs was the best and cancer preventive training and dementia preventive training were followed in orders. Also the most popular as well as top ranked program that they wanted to revitalize was the public health care program. Second, the results of survey on the general satisfaction for senior centers showed that there was no statistically significant difference in presence of occupation but there was statistically significant difference in residence with p<.01 level. According to dissatisfied respondents, factors for dissatisfaction were lack of operating money and poor status of facilities, respectively. Third, the results of survey on future function(role) of senior centers showed that the top ranked future function of senior centers was 'function of reception room where the elderly got together and spent time together' and the second ranked one was 'place for leisure activities where a variety of leisure programs were provided for the elderly'. The summaries of suggestions for revitalization of senior centers based on this study are as follows. First, the target people to use the senior center should be secured as a prerequisite for the revitalization of senior centers. Management for members non-periodically, encouraging participation of members who were not using senior centers and promotion to induce the voluntary participation were necessary. Second, development and operation of various programs reflecting the needs of the area and the elderly in the area were necessary in order to revitalize the senior center as a resource of welfare being used by many elderly people. Third, the financial supports to senior centers should be prepared such as periodical supports through sisterhood relationship or sponsorship with regional social groups or organizations in order to operate the senior centers smoothly. In addition, minimal amenities should be equipped for break time during the programs by changing the current structure through supports from local government or regional community centers. Fourth, specialized personnel should be needed to be trained and distributed in order to improve the system by which senior centers was not operated to provide welfare service until now.