The Sunset of Life – Research of Emotional Dependence of Old People

• Main Authors: Hsiu-I Chen, 陳 秀 逸
• Other Authors: 陳燕禎
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/10197595702360448691

碩士 === 元智大學 === 資訊社會學碩士學位學程 === 96 === One’s old age has always been described as the sunset because of the common attributes of beauty and decline. When the last stages of one’s journey come along with emotional dependence, it would provide new inspiration which enriches his/her routine days. Being aged is one of the stages in humans’ lives. In that stage, physical decline and mental decline occur along with the increase of age. To let the old receive both emotional supports as well as reasonable sexual relationship is a raising issue in an aging society, where the term of “old age” is expected longer then it used to. Even old widows / widowers are expecting and seeking for old spouses to take care and to be taken care so that they would be able to receive the emotional belonging and the sense of well-being in their sunsets of lives. According to the previous statement, the main purpose of this research is to investigate and analyze old people’s objects of emotional dependence, the interaction between the old spouses, the development of old people’s affectivity, the effect of sexual intimacy to their happiness, and end up with a model that describes emotional dependency of old people. In-depth interview based on qualitative research is adopted for 14 samples who are 65 year-old or above, living in Taoyuan county. The research indicates that old people’s affectivity is multidimensional dependence. Emotional dependence occurs not only to people they associate, but also to the events they have been through, and the belongings they own or once owned. However, to the old individual, the old spouse is more expected in terms of caring, and interacting in his/her daily life. Additionally, sexual desires and even sexual interactions occur in the old people. Being aged does not prohibit sexuality; it just alters the manners of intimacy: caress, kissing, and cuddle take the place of typical sexual interaction on most old people. This research also categorizes the following three emotional dependence patterns: 1. Safe / happy; 2. Safe / anxious; 3. Evaded / contradictory. Among the above patterns, the old people with “safe / happy” pattern have better sense of well-being, yet those with “evaded / contradictory” have worse sense of well-being. Therefore, following are the suggestions based on this research: As to the old individuals, it is positive to let old people associate with companions via all sort of activities. While associating with people in opposite sex, the old people should get rid of the conventionalism. As to the progeny of the old people, daughters and sons of the old people should spend more time in accompany with their seniors, encourage their widowed seniors in seeking the second marriage. As to the social service system, it is advised to provide more curriculum and programs regarding sexual relationship for old people, to enrich its cultivation of art and group activities, and to encourage old people in participation of voluntary service. At last, due to the geographical limitation of this research, it is strongly recommended to review more related reference while quoting this survey for scholar purpose