Comparison of Asian Countries and Age Groups in the Attitudes Toward Active Aging and Impression of Older Adults

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes toward the components of active aging and to examine the relationship of attitudes toward active aging with the impressions of older adults across different age groups and across Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. The sample was a total 1,619 individuals comprising of 615 Taiwanese people, 495 Koreans, and 509 Japanese people. Five factors of attitudes toward active aging were extracted by factor analysis: Health, Participation, Connectedness, Work, and Security. Taiwanese people emphasized more importance on health, social participation, and security; while Koreans and Japanese people emphasized more on social connectedness and work. The age group differences were not significant in the attitudes to active aging. Japanese reported more negative impressions to older adults than Taiwanese people, and Koreans were less willing to live with older adults than Taiwanese people. The older group also reported more positive impressions to older adults. Public stigma of aging may exist, implying that intergenerational mutual understanding would reduce ageism or age discrimination. An active aging policy may reduce the public stigma toward older adults and may reduce the burden of intergenerational redistribution.