How Do The Five-Six Year-Old Age Group Children Define The Old Age?

Sabuncuoglu Serefeddin Health Science (SSHS) ISSN: 2667-6338, 2021/Vol.3:1 HOW DO THE FIVE-SIX YEAR-OLD AGE GROUP CHILDREN DEFINE THE OLD AGE? 1Mehtap PEKESEN, *2Demet CELIK, 2Ayse SONAY TURKMEN *1 Health Services Vocational School, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey 2 Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Turkey Research Article Received: 03/01/2021; Accepted: 28/02/2021 *Corresponding author: Abstract This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of children concerning the old age. This is a qualitative research, which was conducted with the mixed research method. Preschool institutions functioning in Karaman province that admitted to participate in the project were included into the research. 106 children, who volunteered to participate and lived with their families, were included into the sample group. Semi-structured survey form was used as the data collection tool. Descriptive statistics were used in the assessment of the quantitative data and inductive content analysis was used for the assessment of the qualitative data. Most of the participant children were 6 years old (67.9 %) and they were living in the city center (84.9 %), with their family elders (76.4 %). The "old" definitions of the children were summarized as changes in physical characteristics (graying hair, losing teeth, using the walking stick etc.), changes in the physical activities (slow walking, hearing less etc.), and other (getting closer to death etc.). According to the children, the positive characteristics of the elders are geniality, doing whatever they want, and being given a seat on the buses; negative aspects are their walking with difficulty, using walking sticks, having knee pains, and their death. The views of children about the elders are in a positive manner, and it was observed that the time spent with the elders and Pekesen, M., Celik, D., Turkmen, A.S. (2021). How do the Five-Six Year-Old Age Group Children Define the Old Age?, Sabuncuoglu Serefeddin Health Science, 3(1), 50-64 the games played had an important influence over their definitions about the "elders". Therefore, it is suggested that the children should be met with the elders from early ages on and they should be provided more opportunity to make observations about the elders and old age. Key Words: Definition, Elder, 5-6 year-old child. Özet Bu çalışma, çocukların yaşlılığa yönelik algılarını belirlemek amacıyla yapıldı. Araştırma nitel araştırma türünde olup iç içe karma araştırma yöntemi kullanılarak yapıldı. Karaman İl Merkezi’nde bulunan anaokullarından izin veren kurumlar araştırma kapsamına alındı. Örneklem grubuna beş-altı yaş grubu öğrencilerden araştırmaya katılmayı kabul eden ve annebabaları ile birlikte yaşayan 106 çocuk alındı. Veri toplama aracı olarak yarı yapılandırılmış anket formundan yararlanıldı. Nicel verilerin değerlendirilmesinde tanımlayıcı istatistikler, nitel verilerin değerlendirilmesinde tümevarımsal içerik analizi tekniği kullanıldı. Araştırmaya katılan çocukların çoğunluğu 6 yaşında (%67,9), il merkezinde (%84,9), aile büyükleri ile aynı ilde (%76,4) yaşamakta idi. Çocukların yaşlı tanımları fiziksel özelliklerdeki değişimler (saçların beyaz olması, dişlerin olmaması, baston kullanmaları vb.), fiziksel aktivitelerdeki değişimler (yavaş yürüme, kulakların duymaması vb.) ve diğer (ölmeye yakındır vb) başlıkları altında özetlendi. Çocuklara göre yaşlıların olumlu özellikleri güler yüzlü olması, istedikleri her şeyi yapabilmeleri ve otobüste onlara yer verilmesi; olumsuz yönleri zor yürümeleri, baston kullanmaları, dizlerinin ağrıması, ölmeleri olarak sıralanmakta idi. Çocukların yaşlılara bakışı genelde olumlu özelliklere sahip olup yaşlılarla geçirilen süre ve oynanan oyunların çocukların yaşlı tanımını etkilediği gözlendi. Bu nedenle; çocukların erken yaştan itibaren yaşlılar ile buluşturulmasının sağlanması ve onlara yaşlılar/yaşlılık ile ilgili daha fazla gözlem yapma fırsatının verilmesi önerilmektedir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Tanım, Yaşlı, 5-6 yaş çocuk. Pekesen, M., Celik, D., Turkmen, A.S. (2021). How do the Five-Six Year-Old Age Group Children Define the Old Age?, Sabuncuoglu Serefeddin Health Science, 3(1), 50-64 1. Introduction Social and economical difficulties emerging as a result of rapid ageing of the world population influence the societies in many aspects. Ageing, in social terms, causes changes in issues such as health, social security, environment, education, job opportunities, socio-cultural activities, and family life. This fact brings to the agenda the need to understand what the ageing means, how it is expressed, and how it is experienced (Abrams et al., 2015). In line with the increasing elderly population of the world, the number of the elders increases in our country as well. The World Health Organization defines the "elderly" as the age of 65 and over, while the "very old" age is determined to be 85 and over (WHO,2016; Türkbeyler et al., 2018). According to the data of Turkish Statistical Institute, there are 7 million 65 year-old and over people living in Turkey, who are to be included into the "very old" category of the society (TUIK, 2016). Today, the position of old individuals within the family is changing due to many sociological factors such as the changing structure of family. This change weakens the intergeneration relations and solidarity. Ageing is perceived by the society and individuals as a threat rather than a success. Even worse, the increasing old population is perceived as a burden on the shoulders of the young population (Swift et al., 2017). Decreasing the social equality and welfare, the negative attitudes concerning the old age cause inequality and social exclusion. This attitude not only becomes an obstacle for the complete inclusion and participation of the elderly in the society, but also it can prevent us from understanding the ageing process. Moreover, this perspective can cause reinforcement of this view in the minds of the elderly and development of harmful types of behaviors for themselves (Abrams et al., 2015; Pekesen, 2020). Old individuals expect a special interest from their children and grandchildren within the Turkish family pattern (Arpacı & Şahin Tezel, 2015). In our society, the time spent with the grandchildren, loving them, playing with them, and receiving help when needed are pleasing experiences (Arpacı & Bekar, 2013). In a study conducted by Viguer et al., (2013), it was determined that the grandchildren met with their grandparents and involved in cultural activities at certain times in a week. In the study conducted in the rural areas of New Zealand by Keeling (2012), the views of 11-13-year-old age group were examined. In this study, Keeling determined that the children met with their grandparents everyday or once a week, one third of them Pekesen, M., Celik, D., Turkmen, A.S. (2021). How do the Five-Six Year-Old Age Group Children Define the Old A (...truncated)