Attitudes towards the Elderly: A Qualitative Study of Adults in Malaysia ()
ABSTRACT
Objective: The
population of the elderly in Malaysia increases every year. However, there is a
lack of attention given to adults’ attitudes towards the elderly in the
country. This study aims to examine the attitudes of adults under the age of 60
towards the elderly in Malaysia. Methodology: The study involved 20 respondents
who were interviewed in a focus group. The respondents were divided into four
age groups, namely 18 to 29 years, 30 to 39 years, 40 to 49 years, and 50 to 59
years. Each group has five respondents. The interviews were conducted virtually
via Webex online application. Each interview took about 1 to 2 hours. Results: Findings from the study showed that most respondents have
positive, as opposed to negative, attitudes towards the elderly. The positive
attitudes identified in this study are feelings of concern and affection for
the elderly (affective), believing that the elderly should be respected
(cognitive), and giving focus and attention to the elderly (behavioural). On
the other hand, negative attitudes towards the elderly include being easily
irritated and feeling stressed (affective), believing that the elderly have
less mental and physical strengths (cognitive), and being rude to the elderly
(behavioural). Conclusion: The positive attitudes of adults towards the
elderly in Malaysia indicate that Malaysians still preserve the tradition of
respecting the elderly, and do not marginalize them because of their age.
Share and Cite:
Faudzi, F. , Said, N. , Ismail, S. , Ali, N. , Nasir, M. and Ahmad, R. (2022) Attitudes towards the Elderly: A Qualitative Study of Adults in Malaysia.
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
10, 449-462. doi:
10.4236/jss.2022.106032.
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