Organised by:

Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society

Co-Sponsored:

2010

- ACAP Support Symposium-

Donghee Han, PhD, Secretary General Research Center for Anti-aging Technology Development Kumsik Park, Research Fellow, Busan Women and Family Development Institute

HeeUn Nam, PhD, Kosin University Nammi Kyung, Manager, Busan Healthy Family Support Center

Study on Role Models for Older Wom

en as Social Capital

Active Aging Consortium in Asia Pacific(ACAP)

Japan

Korea

China

Hawaii

Indonesia Singapore

Mongolia

Malaysia

Canada

Nepal USA

Hong Kong

Sharing Best Cases Active Aging in Asia Pacific

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1995 2000 2005 2010

Over 65

male

women

Over 65 Population

Purpose

This study aims to rethink the role of older women differently from the previous studies that treated them as the recipients of social welfare and suggest a new role through which they can be used as valuable resources for community and society as social capital.

Samples

The participants were from Busan city in South Korea And interviewed Toronto and Waterloo cities in Ontario, Canada. Korea: The total of 313 older women in Busan were Recruited for the interview and they were composed of 166 people aged over 65, and 147 people aged 45 to 64. Canada: 15 women were taken part in the interview from 5 different organizations in Toronto and Waterloo cities in Ontario, Canada.

Study Methods

○ Literature Study ○ Focus Group Interview ○ Interview Analysis ○ Survey Analysis

Definitions of Social Capital

In the broadest sense, the term encompasses those social relationships that help people to get along with each other and act more effectively than they could as isolated individuals. - Trust, mutuality, and reciprocity - Result in benefits to individuals, groups, and society - The public-good nature of social capital - Mutually beneficial cooperative behaviors

Definitions of Social Capital

"Social capital is the cumulative capacity of social groups to cooperate and work together for the common good.“ (Montgomery 1998). Social capital is the trust, reciprocity and mutuality that inheres to social relationships. It accumulates to the extent that members of different social groups can maintain respect for differences and learn to cooperate, especially beyond the family and clan. Trust and mutuality in the sociological sense are often identified as a "moral resource.“ (Cox, 1996) - Community rather than individual

- Level social units for personal, family, community members - Private and public sector's confidence, - Contribution, - Social participation, - Affection their community, - Social relationships, social activities and relationships

Results(Korea)

○ Demographics Among older women aged 45 to 64 (n=147), the most common characteristics identified were the education level higher than high school, employment in service-related fields, living with the spouse, and good health status. The average monthly income per household was over 3 million won (=$2,700) and most of them owned their homes. The primary religion was Buddhism and the personality was identified as “positive.” On the other hand, among those aged over 65 (n=166), the educational level was less than high school and the perceived health status was worse than those aged 45 to 64. The average monthly income was 1 million won (=$902) and most did not live with the spouse. However, their primary personalities were also “positive.”

Health

0

5

10

15

20

25

Good Middle Bad

22 21.3

3.8

9.7

23.6

19.6

Babyboomer

Old Women

Quality of Life

0

5

10

15

20

Very Low Low So so High Very High

1.3

6.4

17.819.4

2.33.9

15.5 16.5 15.8

0.9

Baby Boomer

Old Women

Economic Status

0

5

10

15

20

25

Very Bad Bad So so Good Very Good

1.9

8.1

23.3

12.3

1.33.5

23.3

19.7

4.8

1.6

Baby Boomer

Old Women

Reasons of Social Participation

01020304050607080

Babyboomer Old Women

56.3

43.742

5850 5054.3

45.8

35.7

64.3

47.652.4

60

40

71.5

28.625

75

50 50

Like Work

Need Money

Health

Company

Spare Time

Expert

Need Help

Continually Works

Needs of Late Life

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Baby Boomer Old Women

52.94746.1

53.957.9

42.2

62.2

37.8

54.5

45.4

72.7

27.3

62.8

37.1

60

40

Economic

Health

Peaceful Mind

Family Relatioship

Friendship

Social Participation

Meaningful Works

Others

Preparation in Late Life

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Good Middle Bad

9.7

26.5

10.4

3

18.1

32.3

Baby Boomer

Old Women

The Reasons of Social Contribution

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Baby Boomer Old Women

51.9

48.1

44.3

55.8

52

48

42.6

57.3 57.7

42.3

48.1

52 54.7

45.3

57.6

42.5

50 50 50 50 A Member of Community

Sharing Experties

Helping Health Promotion

Company Friends

Earned Money

Inclusion

Information

Social Contribution

Others

Preceded Things to Contribution

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

44.3

55.6

20.4

49.7 53.8

46.2 47.9

52.1

40

60 57.2

42.9 Education

Information

Ornization NGO

Mission

Built Law

Others

Baby Boomer

Old Women

Community Awareness

0

5

10

15

20

25

Yes No Don't know

10.8

20.3

16.71719.6

15.7

Baby Boomer

Old Women

Results (Social Capitals)

Social capital was defined as a concept which posits that a person can be empowered to effectively contribute to the purpose of the individual / organizations based on his or her relationship with the community and social networking. This study examined the following variables as the

indicators of social capital: the affection to community, trust in public institutions, trust in personal areas, community activity participation, and the value for social relationship. The affection to community was stronger among those aged

over 65 compared to those aged 45 to 64.

Results(Social Capitals)

Religious institutions were cited as the most trustworthy, followed by women’s organizations, organizations for older adults, and others. The National Congress received the lowest mark. The trust in personal areas was highest for ‘family

members,’ and ‘relatives, friends, neighbors’ was high among those aged over 75. The community activity participation differed by the age group, but most commonly cited activities were volunteering, family and relative reunions, religious activities, and school reunions.

Results(Social Capitals)

The volunteering and school reunions were highest among those aged 45 to 64, while family and relative reunion was the highest among those aged over 65. The religious activities was prevalent for both groups.

Regarding the value for social relationship, those aged 45 to 54 showed the higher average rate compared to those over 65, which indicates a need for education and programs to help them maintain their strong values well into later adulthood. Also, these education and programs should take into

consideration a variety of factors that make significant difference in social capital, such as a person’s health, education, the sense of community, participation in community activities.

Results(Social Capitals)

Social Capitals were related meaningful variables; health, education , community awareness, social participation. Baby Boomer need cost values to be social capitals.

They need workforces in late life. Old women wanted various type of activities as social

capitals in Busan. They loved their hometown. The results of this study suggested women, social

welfare, cultural policy .

Results(Possible Activities)

1) Children-related activities: day care centers, telling fairy tale, after school programs, mentor programs, librarians at local libraries, parent consulting 2) Adolescent-related activities: teenage consulting, mentor programs for people with disability, consulting for delinquent juvenile 3) Women-related activities: Multicultural family support, single parent consulting, mentor programs for families in need, engagement in women’s organizations, advisory boards for women’s organizations, support for facilities working for women’s issues)

Results(Possible Activities)

4) Helping other older adults: caring for frail older adults, good neighbor programs, health promotion activities, instructors for lifelong education programs at universities, helping people with dementia, visiting assisted living facilities

5) Helping disabled people: Helping disabled children and other services 6) Affection for Busan city: Tour guides, volunteers at tourist attractions

7) Cultural activities: Teaching traditional cooking and cultural activities

Results(Possible Activities)

8)Community activities: Volunteering at the local children centers, cleaning up villages, and other ombudsman activities

9) International activities: Support for children in Africa, participating in movement for world peace, working as volunteers to advertise Korea to foreigners 10) Religious activities: Reading religious scriptures (e.g. Bible)

11) Humanist activities: Ombudsman and other human right activities 12) Others: Volunteering at hospitals, doing secretarial work, working as tour guides at public institutions, computer instructors

Policy Suggestions

○ Women and Family Policies The issues of older women are not just limited to ‘older’ women, but to the whole life cycle of ‘women’. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to establish an organization that specializes in issues for older women, which should include an advisory board composed of women who took the leadership roles in academic, business, medical and other professional areas.

Policy Suggestions

○ Social Welfare Policies Health is a very crucial factor in empowering

older women as social capital. Therefore, health promotion programs should include a specific need of older women’s health and offer more preventive programs, such as regular checkups and health promotion programs for women’s lifecycle. Also, the policies for older adults should take into account different needs men and women and the different considerations of older women in employment and volunteering depending on the age group should also be considered.

Policy Suggestions

○ Cultural/tour Policies As the current study shows a strong affection of older women toward Busan city and their interest in cultural activities and international activities, the municipal government should develop programs to help them engage in activities related to culture, tourism, and other local activities. Especially, in terms of cultural aspect, older women can be a valuable resource for helping multicultural families whose number is increasing at a fast rate. In addition, older women can offer help to disabled older adults as friends who share the same generational interests and memories, and not just as helpers who come for the event and disappear.

Canada

Old Women Network, Mennonite’s community, Grandmother to

Grandmother, Quilt Association

Canada

Old Women Network, Mennonite’s community, Grandmother to

Grandmother, Quilt Association

Canada

Canada

Garden to Community

Cooperation (Change Bad Image of Old Women) Empowerment(Self – Decision) Private Sector-Public Sectors-Networks- Developing Activities Sectors Education Role Models

See you in Seoul!!!! Thank you

2013 Seoul IAGG