ABSTRACT

This study explored how Korean baby boomers conceptualized good aging at the beginning of their old age. The specific goal was to identify descriptive categories of good aging conceived by them. Phenomenography was used as a qualitative research methodology. Data were collected from May 2020 to February 2021 through semi-structured interviews. A total of 30 community-dwelling men or women (born in between 1955 and 1963) were participants of this study. As a result, the following six categories of Korean baby boomers’ frames on good aging were identified; self-centered satisfaction, focusing on mental self-fulfillment, giving up greed and letting it be, recognizing harmonious coping, being considered a valuable person by others, and increasing the positive synergy of good relationships. Also, the following six categories of their strategies for good aging; distancing his/herself from the things he/she feels forced to do, maintaining the mental competence to accept different world, acknowledging that he/she is getting old, reflecting upon ways of living that work well, maximizing his/her remaining capacities, and creating independence for enjoying life. To provide a structural framework, the categories were placed into an outcome space, which consisted of two dimensions;psychological-physical and social-individual. Based on the Korean cultural context and existing theories of good aging, the Korean baby boomers’ conceptualization of good aging was discussed. This study provides new insights regarding how Korean baby boomers personally conceptualize good aging.