Positive Emotion, Engagement and Meaning of Life of the Elderly in Pesantren (Islamic Boarding School)

Abstract

Successful aging has been the focus of researcher on elderly since it has been believed that the terminal objective of every human is being a happy and healthy elderly. The aim of the study was to obtain an overview of positive emotion, engagement and meaning of life in the elderly who live as student/santri in Islamic Boarding School. The research was a qualitative method. Techniques to collect data were observation and interview. Variables in the research are positive emotion, engagement and meaning of life. Population of subject was 31 elderly, both male and female. Samples were chosen based on purpose sampling method which consisted of eight elderlies having following criteria: living in Payaman Islamic Boarding School, Magelang, above 60 years old, and healthy (not suffering from any acute nor chronic diseases). Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis (IPA). The research shows that social support, gratitude, autonomy and inner peace are the main themes of positive emotion. Engagement, orientation, role of kyai/nyai, and competition in worship are the main themes of engagement. Optimism, self-esteem, self-existence, and akhirah-oriented life are the main themes of meaning of life. Elderly in pesantren has developed positive emotions where they feel comfortable and close to the administrators of pesantren and fellow santri, and fully engaged to activities in pesantren. The more they attached to life in pesantren; they obtained deeper meaning of life. It can be concluded that positive emotion and engagement that were continuously established in pesantren has developed the meaning of life in elderly.