2003 Volume 54 Issue 6 Pages 491-499
The purpose of this study is to clarify and examine how the needs of the elderly, especially those related to their life style and relationship with the neighbors, differ by the stage of their age. We categorized the elderly into five segments, each differing in age by approximately five years. Stage 1 include those of 60 to 64 years of age, Stage 2 65 to 69, Stage 3 70 to 74, Stage 4 75 to 79, and Stage 5 over 80. The results are as follows : 1) On the basis of their awareness regarding their life and relationship with neighbors, the elderly may be categorized into three groups : Stages 1 & 2, Stage 3 and Stages 4 & 5. 2) There are two types of relationship with the neighbors. One is “relation established through various activities” and the other is “relation naturally resulted.” Both can finally develop into the relation of natural support. For those of Stages 4 and 5, who show less tendency for social activities, sustaining opportunities to establish “naturally occurring relations” is rather important. Thus, Stage 3 may be considered as a turning point. It may be concluded that there is a necessity to create a social system in which the elderly of Stage 3 may be spontaneously guided to keep contact as well as mix with the local community.
