The Research On The System Of Social Participation Of The Elderly

Currently, our country has already became one of the aging countries in the world; how to best take care of the elderly is a prominent question that is attracting more societal attention on a daily basis. To achieve senior citizens’ social participation is a beneficial addition to the traditional retirement pattern, and it is also an important way to fulfill elderlies’ lives and improve their quality of life. The senior citizens’ social participation is an effective way to solve the aging problem of the society, and this notion has received a mutual recognition worldwide. Facing the challenge of an aging population, the Chinese government, society and the academic field are all paying attention to elderlies’ social involvement on various degrees, have completed many valuable researches and practiced explorations, and has released corresponding policy measures, to a great extent, it drove our country’s senior citizen social participation research forward and increased the actual participation level. This article focuses on the current senior social involvement and based on relevant theories, starting from the government, the society and the seniors themselves, to explore the most manageable ways for senior social involvement.The first part is mainly about the senior-social-participation-system’s fundamental theory issues. Foreign scholars presented three major concepts regarding the social participation’s definition and limits. First, social participation is something that occurs on a society level; second, social participation is involves interpersonal interactions; third, social participation indicates all participants’ values. Our researches regarding senior society involvement were proposed and carried out based on the idea of "something great for one to accomplish in one’s old age", and is also defined based on personal devotion’s perspective. All in all, domestic and foreign scholars do not have a consistent concept regarding social participation, however, foreign scholars proposed the requirement for social participation, while domestic scholars presented the necessary targets that need to be included with social participation. Therefore, this article thinks that social participation means that during the process of social interaction, participants become more involved through plays various roles in a society, and accomplish resource sharing, self-fulfilment and meet’s expectations on a society level. Regarding a special group such as senior citizens, this concept reflected two keynotes: first, social participation is an important indication for the approval and appreciation for elderly’s social functions; second, social participation not only pays attention to satisfy senior citizen’s demands, and also pays attention to the senior citizens’ indication of their own society values during this process, namely resource sharing on a personal level and to build and share on a society level.The second part introduces the government’s function of being the main responsibility body in this issue. To look at the issue from the government’s strategic point of view, promote "the positive aging" idea, fully expand senior citizen’s participation enthusiasm to serve economic growth and social development, make efforts to reduce the burden that is created by the aging population for the country and the society. Gradually implement senior society plan that matches the social economic development pace, and provide a guaranteed basic quality of life for the seniors for them to become involved in various social events. Establishes old age legal framework based on the fundamental law of "Senior citizen Rights and interests Protection law" to stipulate any operational right and duty, and help the senior citizen’s social participation, and old age enterprise to step onto the legalization track. The government focuses on senior citizen social participation’s mechanism construction, to form a corresponding policy system, make the Enterprise institutions, the scientific research and the education institutions and many domains easier to be coordinated and adjusted. Moreover, from community construct perspective, it is even more important to pay great attention to the senior citizen’s need function. It is recommended to set up "something great for one to accomplish in one’s old age" government award item at the right time, to encourage and acknowledge the companies, individuals and elderlies who have made contributions and remarkable for senior social participation. Create senior talented person records depository, arrange old age job opportunities, pay attention to unofficial retirement, establish files for seniors with special professional skills, and may recommend them to relate employer and enterprises, and enable the senior citizen to contribute what they can still offer. Implements re-employment training, instruction and help for people who do not meet the retirement requirement, and have them rejoin the society. Have the government arrange suitable jobs at special posts, such as the community mediators, the security patrol, and the community administrative personnels, to prevent that the elderly relying too much on the social security plan.The third part introduces social power into senior citizen social participation, integrate social resource. Different kind of enterprise may develop various kinds of old age welfare services, from the financial resource, physical resource, and manpower to help solve the insufficient resources issue regarding senior citizen social participation. For example, old-age university under the developing enterprise, the old age activity center, the old age literary style association and each kind of old age service organization, at the same time encourages society’s public cultural organizations and cultural activity centers to consider senior citizen’s cultural needs, allow the senior citizens to acquire leaderships, to become organized, to have the places and plans when participating; all enterprises and institutions to create certain old age job opportunities according to needs, attract talented seniors to return to their operating post, to provide more opportunities for seniors to achieve something great, and it is more easy for senior citizen’s to show their values. Take advantage of social group’s propaganda function to create a friendly society atmosphere, such as insisted and widespread respect for the elders,"love the elders" education. The media use their abilities to set up guidance of public opinion, to have the entire society paying attention to the senior citizens. Contributions to the society made by senior citizens should receive proper acknowledgment and the respect; senior citizens’social participation should be supported and honored, and remove any concept obstacles regarding senior social participations.The fourth part introduces senior citizens’own subjective initiative. From the perspective of seniors take the initiative to participate, explores our country’s current practical and feasible ways for senior participations based on the "six always haves for the elderly’"."Always have supports for the elderly""always have medications for the elderly" are the two basic guarantees for senior citizen participations."Always have things for the elderly to teach","always have things for the elderly to learn" provide motivations for the senior citizens who are willing and are able to participate."Always have something great for elderly to accomplish in their old age" provides direction for senior citizens to maintain healthy and vigor lifestyles."Always have something to be happy about" is not only referring to what it means literally, but also is the core concept that connects all the elements in the "six always haves for the elderly".