The Relationship between Age Integration, Care for Older People, and Life Satisfaction: Comparison by Age Group

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to identify the mediating effect of care for older people on the structural relationship between age integration and life satisfaction while also analyzing differences between age groups using latent mean analysis. Data from the ‘2017 Age Integration Survey’ was used. A total of 958 people from three core groups (young, middle-aged, & older people) participated in the analysis. The main analysis results were as follows: First, age integration had effects on care for older people. In addition, age integration and care for older people affected life satisfaction. Second, care for older people mediated the relationship between age integration and life satisfaction. Third, the young scored higher on awareness of care for older people and age integration compared to the other age groups, and the older people had lower life satisfaction. Based on these results, a social welfare practice plan was suggested for an intervention strategy to alleviate the burden of support for the young, and an intervention strategy was proposed to increase the age integration of older people.