韓國 敬老堂 活性化 決定 要因에 관한 硏究

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to address the problems of the elderly welfare centers and thereby, find the solutions to the problems. Specifically, this study aimed to suggest the ways to activate the elderly people's leisure welfare and thus, help them live a more desirable and satisfactory leisure life, being awakened of their life value, and ultimately, improve their life quality. To this end, the researcher reviewed relevant literature, and thereupon, conducted a questionnaire survey for the elderly welfare center users in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, while interviewing the experts. The results of this study can be summarized as follows; First of all, the problems of the elderly welfare centers could be addressed as follows. Functions and roles of the elderly welfare centers were not clear due to poor institutional regulations, while their basic facility criteria were very insufficient. In addition, since the roles of administrative organization and operation systems were not clearly specified, operation/management and service delivery were little professional, much less systematic. Moreover, the facility space was narrow, while facilities fell short. In short, the environment for elderly people's leisure life was poor. In addition, the fund for operation of the elderly welfare centers could not well be raised, while the subsidies from the government were very small. On the other hand, as the elderly welfare centers were not closely connected with the communities, the resources of the communities could not well be used. Diversified and professional elderly leisure programs had still to be developed. And many other problems were identified including elderly people's poor sense of their leisure and community life The solutions to the above problems and the reform measures for activation of the elderly welfare centers are put forwards as follows; First, it is necessary to rearrange and supplement the poor institutional provisions to establish functions and roles of the elderly welfare centers clearly. Second, it is essential to expand the narrow elderly welfare centers, while maintaining their obsolete facilities, in consideration of elderly users' needs. And in consideration of elderly users' characteristics, the elderly welfare centers need to be reorganized into a recess space like guest room equipped with the facilities conducive to elderly users' diversified leisure life. Third, in order to increase the fund for operation of the elderly welfare centers and make their operation more efficient, it is required of the government to increase its subsidies to the elderly welfare centers, while reinforcing the supervisory system for the centers. In addition, the elderly welfare centers are obliged to strengthen their association with the communities to make best use of the human and material resources of the communities. Fourth, it is required of the elderly welfare centers to operate more diversified and professional leisure programs desired by the elderly users. And the programs need to be operated by professionals to help activate elderly people's life and improve their life quality. Fifth, the elderly people are also obliged to be ware of importance of their leisure life and thereby, participate more actively in the programs of the elderly welfare centers, and thereby, be reawakened of themselves as members of the community to live with other community members. In addition, they are urged to create an atmosphere like home for mutual exchanges and love.