ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

The purpose of this study is to explore the meaning of ‘aging well’ that the elderlies are recognizing in their everyday life. To achieve this purpose, this study selected five elderly men and women over 65 years old and investigated their active daily life using the phenomenological method. Analyzing their experiences, this study would examine what they understood and pursue as "aging well." As a result, this study proposed four categories to help define the meaning of aging well such as physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. The elderly men and women recognized aging well as ‘constructing daily life actively based on recognizing the limitations of their physical bodies,’ ‘exploring infinite possibilities through learning continuously,’ ‘changing the mode and method of making social relationships,’ and ‘making efforts for spiritual growth,’ In other words, aging well means that the elderlies should continuously explore and accept themselves and the others by recognizing the limits of physical bodies positively. Also, they need to consider aging as the process of growing and changing from the positive perspective and construct their daily lives more actively as a main agent of their life. These results may provide implications on the field of lifelong education by giving directions for practical strategies improving lifelong education programs for the elderly.

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