Problems and life satisfaction of older adults in Turkey

In Turkey, urbanization, industrialization, migration, new job opportunities, the widespread of communication networks, the tradition, the economic and the educational system, and the emerging differences in family structure revealed many changes in the social, cultural and demographic structure of the society. This situation has caused the change of the quantitative and semantic characteristics of old age. Further he problems of old age that have remained within the family boundaries in the past are still affecting the general population. In our country, older population experience social problems such as lack of education, labor market exclusion, poverty, abuse and neglect, diseases and lack of nursing care etc. The purpose of this study was to reveal the problems and life satisfaction of older adults in Turkey. As a result, the older population in Turkey naturally bears the highest level of the traditional community characteristics. This situation is the most important reason why younger and older generations differ in terms of lifestyle. The older population have had to live within the boundaries of insufficient income and poverty, had formal education that would never comply with the requirements of modern life, suffered from a disease, and become in a position to produce passive behavior against other generations because their knowledge is not suitable for modern life. This group consists of individuals who are increasingly exposed to negligent and abusive behaviors. Even the healthiest of them find it challenging to maintain their daily lives without their relatives. The majority of older adults remain distant to all "new" technologies. Rather than having a quality life, they explain their life satisfaction subjectively, with profound patience and trust mostly stemming from their beliefs and values.