A Study on the Expectations and Preparation for Later Life among Older Adults in the 21st Century: Analysis of Personal Documents from 『80,000 Hours Design』 Competition

Abstract

With the increasing proportion of the aging population and an increase in life expectancy, there is increasing interest in the later life. As a result, what to do and how to live in one"s later years have become an important topic. The purpose of this study was to explore the expectation and preparation for later life among older adults" by analyzing personal documents from 80,000 hours design competition. Using thematic analysis, essays written by 59 older adults who were 60 years old and over were analyzed. Three main themes were emerged as follows: ① the second chapter of life should be a time for being oneself and requires one"s proactive efforts, ② it should be ongoing, meaningful to oneself, and valuable to the society, ③ preparing for later life is not easy due to the lack of social conditions. Based on the findings, practical implications for preparation for later life in 21st century are discussed in three ways.