Attitude towards Taking Care of the Elderlies: Intergenerational Study of Women in Shiraz

Abstract

The status and care of the elderly are now one of the most critical issues in society. The goal of this study was to explore the attitudes of women in Shiraz City towards elderly care and also the generational disparity between these attitudes. The statistical population of this study included women 20-55 years old in Shiraz which is grouped into two generations of 20-34 years and 35-55 years old. The respondents including 384 females were selected through stratified sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire and both descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed using the SPSS. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was computed to check the validity of the research scales (attitudes towards the elderly, attitude towards caring for the elderly, religiosity, and, relationships within the family). The findings revealed that there is a significant difference in the attitude of two generations of women towards caring for the elderly and that people belonging to the younger generation have a more positive attitude towards elderly care. Attitudes towards aging, supportive family relationships, being a householder, family size, and age were significant variables determining attitudes towards caring for the elderly.

Keywords

• care
• attitude
• elderly
• generation
• women