노부모와 성인자녀간의 가족결속도가 노인의 자살생각에 미치는 영향 연구: 복지유통관점 중심으로

Abstract

Purpose- Today, the importance of the service industry hasincreased. Social welfare businesses that follow the non-profitprinciple have neglected the distribution of the service. However,an intangible service, when produced and consumed, has asimilar service delivery system to common service distributionand social welfare. Therefore, the author has assumed the efficiency of the service delivery system of social welfare to beequivalent to the service distribution industry. Hence, variouskinds of social welfare services for the prevention of elderly suicide, from the perspective of distribution, are discussed. Studieson generational relations have thus far investigated depressionfrom parent-children conflict, and satisfaction with their lives. Studies on the relationship between family solidarity and elderlysuicide by analyzing existing social problems are rare. Thisstudy investigated the effects of family solidarity between oldparents and adult children upon elderly suicide by analyzing serious psychological and social problems. This study revealed basic measures for elderly suicide prevention through services thatcould elevate family solidarity from the perspective of social welfare service distribution. Research design, data, and methodology- The subjects were468 elderly, 65 years or older, at 18 senior welfare centers andhalls for the elderly at Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Questionnairesurveys, excluding invalid answers, were analyzed. Conveniencesampling was used from February 5, 2014 to March 5, 2014. The findings were: First, women and those having spouses withadvanced educational backgrounds and social activities had primary solidarity such as contact solidarity, affectionate solidarity, functional solidarity (giving help), and functional solidarity(receiving help). In addition, those who had good health, from asubjective point of view, had more solidarity. Second, the elderlywho were men and single, and who had poorer educationalbackgrounds thought of suicide, lacked social activities, and hadpoor health, from a subjective point of view. Third, family solidarity between old parents and adult children had significantlynegative influence on the suicidal ideation of the elderly. Results- The study revealed the following implications. First,the preparation for old age should consider not only economicwelfare but also the psychological welfare due to the relationship with children. Second, the phenomenon of elderly suicidebecause of a lack of family solidarity could increase nationalloss and have great influence upon welfare in old age. Therefore, planning of welfare services for the elderly shouldconsider the value of relationships with children to improve thepsychological welfare of the elderly. Third, the social expensesof government-oriented support for parents should be discussedfrom the people’s point of view. Conclusions- The subjects of the study comprised the elderlyat Seoul and Gyenggi-do; therefore, it would be difficult to extrapolate the findings to all the elderly in the nation. The subjectvisited senior welfare centers as well as halls for the elderly;therefore, it would be difficult to assume that the trends wererepresentative of the elderly in the nation