The aged are, in Korea, becoming a significant social category, along with the rapid industrialization. as the number of older people in the population rises, thus creating social problems related to their use of leisure time.
In this short article, the author has suggested several directions for leisure program development for the aged, after reviewing die present status of leisure behavior among the aged in Korea.
Although the sufficient statistical analysis concerning the life time and life space of the korean aged has not well documented, the activities for their leisure use do not, to a significant degree, differ, at the individual level of behavior, from those of American and European counter parts. They devote spare time to TV viewing, garderting, strolling, or travelling.
However, we find a great difference between the Koreans and American and Eur peon aged at the group level of behavior. It is customary that the aged in Europe and America belong to various groups for their leisure activities, entering and creating ways of group life through independence and self-reliance.
On the coutrary, the Korean aged do not seem to show great interest in group activities for the use of their leisure time. The leisure time and leisure behavior space have mainly been centered around the home and family. The main reason why the aged in Korea are not active in group participation outside the family seem to have its origin in old tradition as well as poor experiences in group activities. And even if they are interested in participating group activities, they may not be, at the moment, in appropriate situations,
The major groups for the aged in Korean community include "Pavilon" and "School for the aged." These two groups are essentially similar in nature. However, the school for the aged is particularly geared to learning, while pavibon tend to draw distinctively bw class people. The school for the aged draw mainly the middle class people.
In order to promote reasonable leisure activities for the Korean aged, the author suggested that these two groups will organize and develop these organizations by themselves throught independence and selfreliance, also getting full support from the related organizations.
A few suggestion for the future devebpment of leisure programs which will be given to the aged are as follows:
First, though it is important to provide blue prints, considering the contents and programs for leisure activities, it is as well important to keep in mind the social conditions or social character under which the Korean shed are facing.
Second, it is important to develop individual leisure behavior program, in addition to group programs. The major table of contents of this article is :
1. Introduction
2. Present status of leisure activities for the aged
3. Examples of. "Club" in America and Europe.
4. The aged participating leisure activities
5. Development of leisure programs
6. Reference
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