Investigation concerning life goals in old age

Abstract

The structure of life goals in three groups of people: shifting-to-old (n=73, 60-64 years old), young-old (n=369, 65-74 years old), and old-old (n=50, 75 years old and over) were investigated. The results indicated that life goals had five correlated structures that were consistent across the three groups. These included, “leisure activities,” “contribution to society,” “money,” “health” and “work.” Next, the relationship between life goals and the sense of fulfillment was examined in the three groups of people. The results showed that contribution to society in the shifting-to-old group was positively related to the sense of fulfillment, whereas money was negatively related. In the young-old group, leisure activities and contribution to society were positively related to the sense of fulfillment. In the old-old group, health and leisure activities were positively related to the sense of fulfillment, whereas work was negatively related. These results suggest that the sense of fulfillment is differentially related to the life goals of the three age groups.View full abstract