A Study of Ageism in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Pi-juan Tsai, 蔡璧娟
• Other Authors: Shu-er Wei
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/g72wx4

碩士 === 南華大學 === 生死學研究所 === 95 === 　　Nowadays, the average of lives becomes much longer than the past. Human-beings still don’t loss their own value of production after retirement. But the elders are not so respected than before. People used to point out the image of elder as useless in Taiwan. People also used to think negatively of elders, even more regards the elders just as the ones, who are waiting for dying. These facts let the elders always stay in the social role, which has to take care for by younger generation, or not any more continue contribution to the society. 　 　　Based on these social facts, this study aims to focus on the ageism of Min Sheng community, Shuei Shang Township, in Chai-yi County. Eleven interviews with elders are conducted, in order to investigate their own life experiences. In addition, three different groups of elders are separated: young-old, old-old, oldest-old, in order to analyze how the ageism constructs people’s life and how they think of it, specifically in dimensions of physiological, psychological, social and economic. 　 　　The results have found as fellows: the self-image of elders is normally constructed by physiological problems. The oldest-old has to face serious physical challenges. The health problems more happen to the oldest-old. They concretely impact on the quality of life of the oldest-old. In the experiences of discrimination, the elders care about the design ideas of environment spaces, activities of clubs. Normally young people ignore the physiological troubles of the elders and their concrete needs. They also don’t concern with habitation, leisured, work of the elders etc. 　 　　Basically, the ageism of Min Sheng community is related with the social role of the elders. The elders in community always regard it as not a big deal, forgivable or never mind, in order to dismiss from social conflict. Finally, 3 age groups have their own different experiences with ageism. This investigation finds that young-old people do not experience so much ageism as the old-old and the oldest-old.