Evaluation of the old age perceptions of women from different generations in terms of old age theories: A study in Afyonkarahisar

Along with the industrialization process, developments in medicine and technology have caused human life to extend and the proportion of the elderly population to increase. With the industrialization process, developments in medicine and technology have led to an increase in human lifespan and a rise in the proportion of elderly population. The transformation of old age from an individual condition to a societal phenomenon has prompted the development of theories related to aging. The Theory of Disengagement is based on the assumption that individuals will voluntarily withdraw from social life during old age and can find happiness in this way. Activity Theory, which emerged as a reaction to this highly criticized approach, suggests that elderly individuals should lead an active life in order to have a productive and peaceful old age. Generation Theory, one of the theories that tries to explain social change, is based on the idea that individuals of the same age group can develop similar attitudes and values in the face of important events they have experienced. It is a matter of curiosity whether the developments during the industrialization process have affected women's thoughts about old age. In this study, on the axis of Generation Theory, it was tried to understand which of these two theories women living in Afyonkarahisar, who have not yet experienced old age, are more prone to and whether there is a significant change in their perception of old age in the process. According to the analysis results of the research conducted using the qualitative research method, it was concluded that there was no significant difference in the perceptions of aging among women belonging to Generation X, Y, and Z within the research sample.