우리나라의 老人福祉에 대한 小考

Abstract

In proportion to the longer life expectancy resulting from the improvements in living condition, medical science, and nutrition, the population of the aged is increasing. The demand for the young, on the other hand, for the sake of increased productivity brings about the urgent social problems of caring for the aged in paradoxical contrast to the increasing number of the aged. The shift from the extended family system to the nuclear one is accompanied by the marked disrespect for the aged as well as the destruction of the traditional family structure. Traditionally the aged have been respected and cared for in the family, but the changing values of the, young have pushed the aged out in the cold rendering their wisdom and experienced virtually useless. This tendency has naturally produced the alienation and loneliness on the part of the old. In view of this situation, the welfare problems for the old people which account roughly for 6% of the total population can not solely be handled inside the family. Thus, the problem calls for the co-ordinated action through the welfare system, insurance, and public assistance, on the one hand. on the other hand, the wholehearted support from the government is more than desired as well as the activities of the social work agencies in the form of family welfare, recreational facilities, and the welfare centers. The concerted efforts of the groups of the old people, neighbors, and the government can facilitate the solutians of the problems for the aged oneby one in psychological, social, and economic aspects. Bill for the Welfare of the Aged is proposed to solve the cultural conflicts on the aged caused by the rapid modernization which results in the tendency to neglect the old people in the fundamentally respect-the-old-age society where the Confucian influence has been dominant for many centuries. The Livelihood Protection Law should be extended to cover the emotional needs of the aged inaddition to the measures originally provided for th needy recipients, measures are also needed to guarantee to the retired people the pleasent life for ten or twenty years after retirement. At present the number of needy old people stands at 429,000 out of 2,500,000 older-than-60-numbers of these get any help. For example, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs statistics of Dec. 31, 1971, only 44 old peoples' homes accomodate the total of 2,370. In addition to tae expansion of the scanty facilities, the social worker is urgently called woon to devise various means to promote the social status of the aged for their meaningfully productive life. Some of the examples are; counselling system for the old, old peoples' welfare centers, recreational facilities, cheap and special old peoples' homes, and so on. As for the promotion of the old peoples' social status, the direction in the social welfare system should be set in strengthening the existing family ties instead of weakening them.