INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUALS AND THE ENVIRONMENT TO PERCEPTIONS OF SUCCESS IN OLD AGE

Abstract

Individuals and the environment influence the way humans perceive the stages of life as assumed in the Late Life Success Theory. This chapter aims to identify the different reasons behind feelings of success within the milestones of aging. This study utilized qualitative survey design. The researcher gathered data from 32 participants who are 60 years old and above, residing in Cebu City, Philippines. They are then asked to answer a survey questionnaire. They are asked to identify significant events at specific ages of their lives and identify the person influential to that event. After that, they were asked to rate how significant these events are. They are then asked to plot these on a lifeline. Data were then coded according to categories. Quantifying top layer coding results was done. Results revealed that individuals play a key role in the way a person perceives the events that happen in his/her life. Their presence at a certain period in the life of a person makes that period significant. Looking into the lifeline of a group of older adults, the research was able to identify these significant events in their lives based on the number of times they are being mentioned by the study participants. Marriage, Death, Birth of first child, Education, Illness, Accidents and reaching old age are the significant events identified. The family, spouse, and self are the influences to the perception of significance of the event. The review of the life events of older persons allows the opportunity to identify the individuals who are influential to the way humans perceive the stages of life. This also allows looking into where significant events occur in the life line of people thereby permitting for greater understanding why certain people matter most.