personal projects for graceful aging

8/14/2019 Personal Projects for Graceful Aging

1/22

Personal Projects for GracefulPersonal Projects for Graceful

Aging:Aging:Motivational Factors of Filipinos in LateMotivational Factors of Filipinos in LateAdulthoodAdulthood

Katrine S. BunaganKatrine S. Bunagan

De La Salle University-ManilaDe La Salle University-Manila


2/22

IntroductionIntroduction

Late adulthood has to be studied:Late adulthood has to be studied: Much of the study on motivation and well-Much of the study on motivation and well-

being has focused and used samples frombeing has focused and used samples frompopulations in the earlier developmentalpopulations in the earlier developmentalstages (Brunstein, 1993; Diener & Diener,stages (Brunstein, 1993; Diener & Diener,1998; McGregor & Little, 1998; Koestner,1998; McGregor & Little, 1998; Koestner,Lekes, Powers & Chicoine, 2002)Lekes, Powers & Chicoine, 2002)

Advances in medicine and increasingAdvances in medicine and increasing

awareness of the importance of well-beingawareness of the importance of well-beinghave lengthened the life span andhave lengthened the life span andpromoted the desire of human beings topromoted the desire of human beings toimprove their quality of lifeimprove their quality of life


3/22

IntroductionIntroduction

Late adulthood has to be studied:Late adulthood has to be studied: Individuals in late adulthood, in particularIndividuals in late adulthood, in particular

have earned the capacity and the time tohave earned the capacity and the time toenjoy the rest of their lifeenjoy the rest of their life

Some studies have reflected andSome studies have reflected andresponded to this trend (Rapkin & Fischer,responded to this trend (Rapkin & Fischer,1992; Lawton, et al, 2002)1992; Lawton, et al, 2002)

However, in the Philippines, late adulthoodHowever, in the Philippines, late adulthoodhas not yet been fully tapped as a richhas not yet been fully tapped as a richpotential source for studies on motivation,potential source for studies on motivation,well-being, and fulfillmentwell-being, and fulfillment


4/22

Developmental Tasks in LateDevelopmental Tasks in Late

AdulthoodAdulthood

Theorists have looked at the developmentalTheorists have looked at the developmentaltasks at this stage in many waystasks at this stage in many ways

Eriksons psychosocial theory: ego-integrityEriksons psychosocial theory: ego-integrity

versus despairversus despair

Peck: redefinition of self versus preoccupationPeck: redefinition of self versus preoccupation

with work-role, body transcendence versuswith work-role, body transcendence versus

body preoccupation, and ego transcendencebody preoccupation, and ego transcendence

versus ego preoccupationversus ego preoccupation


5/22

Developmental Tasks in LateDevelopmental Tasks in Late

AdulthoodAdulthood

It becomes apparent that life review and evaluation,It becomes apparent that life review and evaluation,as well as adjustment to change, are the commonas well as adjustment to change, are the commonthemes of development at this stagethemes of development at this stage

The primary developmental task in late adulthoodThe primary developmental task in late adulthoodthen is to develop opportunities for completion andthen is to develop opportunities for completion andintegration of life issues (Veroff & Veroff, 1980 asintegration of life issues (Veroff & Veroff, 1980 ascited by Rapkin & Fischer, 1992) and to develop acited by Rapkin & Fischer, 1992) and to develop a

lifestyle that copes with or even transcends thelifestyle that copes with or even transcends thelimits set by their physical, socioemotional, andlimits set by their physical, socioemotional, andcognitive development (Feldman, 1997)cognitive development (Feldman, 1997)


6/22

Goals in Late AdulthoodGoals in Late Adulthood

Motivation enables individuals to fulfillMotivation enables individuals to fulfilldevelopmental tasks successfully. Motivation isdevelopmental tasks successfully. Motivation isreflected in the goals of the elderly (Lawton et.reflected in the goals of the elderly (Lawton et.

al., 2002)al., 2002) Rapkin and Fischers (1992) 4 categories of goalsRapkin and Fischers (1992) 4 categories of goals

in late adulthood:in late adulthood: Achievement goalsAchievement goals

Maintenance goalsMaintenance goals

Disengagement goalsDisengagement goals

Compensation goalsCompensation goals


7/22

Goals in Late AdulthoodGoals in Late Adulthood

Koestner, Lekes, Powers & Chicoine (2002) foundKoestner, Lekes, Powers & Chicoine (2002) foundthat goal progress correlated with improvement inthat goal progress correlated with improvement inaffect, one of the parameters of well-beingaffect, one of the parameters of well-being

Goal progress as well as goal importance and goalGoal progress as well as goal importance and goalpursuit, specifically of intrinsic origin, appears topursuit, specifically of intrinsic origin, appears toexert a positive influence on well-being (Ryan &exert a positive influence on well-being (Ryan &Deci, 2000)Deci, 2000)

In elderly individuals, this should mean thatIn elderly individuals, this should mean thatpursuit, significance, and attainment of the above-pursuit, significance, and attainment of the above-mentioned types of goals would contribute into amentioned types of goals would contribute into amore positive sense of well-beingmore positive sense of well-being


8/22

Personal Projects and theirPersonal Projects and their

Role in the Well-being of theRole in the Well-being of the

ElderlyElderly Goals can be operationalized as personalGoals can be operationalized as personal

projects (Lawton et. al., 2002)projects (Lawton et. al., 2002)

Little (1983) as cited by Lawton and hisLittle (1983) as cited by Lawton and hiscolleagues (2002) defined a personalcolleagues (2002) defined a personalproject as a planned action intended toproject as a planned action intended to

maintain or attain a state of affairsmaintain or attain a state of affairs

foreseen by the individualit reflectsforeseen by the individualit reflectscognitive, affective, and behavioralcognitive, affective, and behavioral

aspects of human conduct.aspects of human conduct.


9/22



ElderlyElderlyThe association between personal projectsThe association between personal projects

and well-being has been studied extensively inand well-being has been studied extensively in

younger populationsyounger populations

Mcgregor and Little (1998) found associationsMcgregor and Little (1998) found associations

between goal efficacy and happiness as well asbetween goal efficacy and happiness as well as

between goal integrity and meaningbetween goal integrity and meaning


10/22



ElderlyElderly Personal projects was seen to be associatedPersonal projects was seen to be associatedwith the positive affect dimension of well-beingwith the positive affect dimension of well-beingin people aged 70 and abovein people aged 70 and above

Lawton & his colleagues came up with 6Lawton & his colleagues came up with 6categories of personal projectscategories of personal projects activities of daily livingactivities of daily living -- spiritual & moral-- spiritual & moral

endeavorsendeavors

other-directed projectsother-directed projects -- intellectual activities-- intellectual activities

home planninghome planning -- active recreation-- active recreation

All these types of personal projects have beenAll these types of personal projects have beenfound to be differentially associated with well-found to be differentially associated with well-being in the elderly (Lawton et al, 2002)being in the elderly (Lawton et al, 2002)


11/22

The Philippine ContextThe Philippine Context

Collectivistic Cultures vs.Collectivistic Cultures vs.Individualistic CulturesIndividualistic Cultures

Filipinos Conception of the SelfFilipinos Conception of the Self


12/22

MethodologyMethodology

Pagtatanung-tanongPagtatanung-tanong PakikipagkwentuhanPakikipagkwentuhan

10 Filipinos aged 60 and above residing10 Filipinos aged 60 and above residingin Davao Cityin Davao City 5 of whom were integrated and 55 of whom were integrated and 5

institutionalizedinstitutionalized

Interview guide based on Dieners SWLSInterview guide based on Dieners SWLSand Sy-cips Well-Being Questionnaireand Sy-cips Well-Being Questionnaire


13/22

Results & DiscussionResults & Discussion

Elderly individuals have a slightly differentElderly individuals have a slightly differentview of their lives and well-being fromview of their lives and well-being from

other individuals who are at the otherother individuals who are at the otherphases of human developmentphases of human development

They view it from the perspective ofThey view it from the perspective ofsomeone who has been through much ofsomeone who has been through much of

life and has a relatively shorter life aheadlife and has a relatively shorter life aheadand in the context of their presentand in the context of their present

situationsituation


14/22

GoalsGoals

Integrated with familyIntegrated with family look at their lives and well-being by focusing more onlook at their lives and well-being by focusing more on

family rather than themselvesfamily rather than themselves

aim to help their children and grandchildren have aaim to help their children and grandchildren have abetter life, travel, do their everyday chores, and enjoybetter life, travel, do their everyday chores, and enjoylife from day to daylife from day to day

see the economic situation, the countrys and theirsee the economic situation, the countrys and theirown, and consider how this impacts their lifeown, and consider how this impacts their life

exhibit control of their life and at this time in life, theyexhibit control of their life and at this time in life, theyfeel they are in a position to help the youngerfeel they are in a position to help the youngergenerations in their family to have a good lifegenerations in their family to have a good life


15/22

GoalsGoals

InstitutionalizedInstitutionalized speak of being on the way out in lifespeak of being on the way out in life

focus more on the basics of being alive,focus more on the basics of being alive,having some food to eat, and havinghaving some food to eat, and having

God take care of themGod take care of them

mention family but as a more distantmention family but as a more distant

part of their life, as a part which theypart of their life, as a part which they

are not involved with substantiallyare not involved with substantially


16/22

Well-Being: Happiness, LifeWell-Being: Happiness, Life

Satisfaction & Quality of LifeSatisfaction & Quality of Life

Integrated with FamilyIntegrated with Family include the life that they have had in theirinclude the life that they have had in their

assessment of their life and well-beingassessment of their life and well-being

despite some frustrations and points ofdespite some frustrations and points ofdissatisfaction, they generally viewed their life asdissatisfaction, they generally viewed their life as

simple but more happy than problematicsimple but more happy than problematic

fairly high well-being ratings, but express how therefairly high well-being ratings, but express how there

are still some things they would like to do, some forare still some things they would like to do, some forthemselves, but mostly for family, especially theirthemselves, but mostly for family, especially their

familys futurefamilys future


17/22

Well-Being: Happiness, LifeWell-Being: Happiness, Life

Satisfaction & Quality of LifeSatisfaction & Quality of Life

InstitutionalizedInstitutionalized more self-focused and express contentmentmore self-focused and express contentment

with the little that they havebasically, food,with the little that they havebasically, food,

shelter, life, and Godshelter, life, and God reports higher level of well-being comparedreports higher level of well-being compared

with those integrated with familywith those integrated with family

reflect a more passive take on lifereflect a more passive take on life

have less goals and personal projects, buthave less goals and personal projects, buthigher well-being self-ratingshigher well-being self-ratings


18/22

Results: Personal ProjectsResults: Personal Projects

Integrated with familyIntegrated with family have a lot of goals and personalhave a lot of goals and personal

projects, mostly focused on helpingprojects, mostly focused on helpingfamily, keeping day-to-day life going,family, keeping day-to-day life going,

and planning recreational activitiesand planning recreational activities

InstitutionalizedInstitutionalized

have less goals and personal projects,have less goals and personal projects,

but higher well-being self-ratingsbut higher well-being self-ratings


19/22

Results: Personal ProjectsResults: Personal Projects

Activities of daily living (ADL) - the mostActivities of daily living (ADL) - the mostcommon personal projects observedcommon personal projects observed although there appeared to be a more activealthough there appeared to be a more active

personal involvement in the integrated elderly.personal involvement in the integrated elderly.

Spiritual/moral activities - the next mostSpiritual/moral activities - the next mostfrequent personal projectsfrequent personal projects more prominent in the institutionalized elderlymore prominent in the institutionalized elderly

Other-directed projectsOther-directed projects observed quite clearly in those integratedobserved quite clearly in those integrated the institutionalized having other-directed hopesthe institutionalized having other-directed hopes

& maybe even goals, rather than actual projects& maybe even goals, rather than actual projects

Home planning and recreation projectsHome planning and recreation projects observed primarily in the integrated elderlyobserved primarily in the integrated elderly


20/22

ConclusionConclusion

Elderly individuals in both contexts studied haveElderly individuals in both contexts studied havepositive ratings of their well-beingpositive ratings of their well-beingThose who are integrated with their families are moreThose who are integrated with their families are more

actively involved in planning, working for goals, andactively involved in planning, working for goals, andundertaking projects, both for self and for familyundertaking projects, both for self and for family

Their self-ratings of life satisfaction, happiness &Their self-ratings of life satisfaction, happiness &quality of life are realistic, reflected things that had toquality of life are realistic, reflected things that had tobe done, as well as hopes they were not able to fulfill inbe done, as well as hopes they were not able to fulfill inlifelife

Those who are institutionalized are more passive &Those who are institutionalized are more passive &self-focusedself-focused

Their self-ratings are high, reflecting gratitude at beingTheir self-ratings are high, reflecting gratitude at beingprovided with the basics, despite frustrations of notprovided with the basics, despite frustrations of nothaving the capacity to help family and fulfill their hopeshaving the capacity to help family and fulfill their hopes


21/22


22/22

RecommendationsRecommendationsThere is certainly a need for further study ofThere is certainly a need for further study of

the variables and issues explored andthe variables and issues explored anduncovered in this researchuncovered in this research

Bigger samples, more in-depth study, andBigger samples, more in-depth study, andmore refined designs are certainly neededmore refined designs are certainly needed

to shed more light on the matterto shed more light on the matter In particular, the relationships among typesIn particular, the relationships among types

of goals, quantity and quality of personalof goals, quantity and quality of personalprojects, and the different aspects of well-projects, and the different aspects of well-

being need to be explored more clearlybeing need to be explored more clearly Related research that may stem from thisRelated research that may stem from thisstudy include exploring the preferences, instudy include exploring the preferences, incomparison to the actual context, of elderlycomparison to the actual context, of elderlyindividualsindividuals

personal projects for graceful aging

Documents