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Paper short abstract:

Both Japanese and American elderly people are eager to be involved in activities after retirement. This paper examines various innovative ways in which “work” is used in both America and Japan, delineates the meaning of “work” in old age, and shows how it makes life worth living for elderly people.

Paper long abstract:

Both Japanese and American elderly people are eager to be involved in activities and the building of new social networks after retirement. To this end, senior centers and programs in local communities are popular. Many American elderly people view these centers as places for volunteering, and they describe such activities as their "work" despite the lack of monetary reward. They believe that volunteering should be like "work", in that there should be a clear sense of purpose and a determination to do it; also, it should be carried out to a regular schedule and with a sense of responsibility. The necessary discipline should come from themselves and not from others. Volunteering is a symbol of success in old age because being able to volunteer means that a person has ample health, time and money.

Japanese elderly people, on the other hand, see senior centers as somewhere to enjoy their leisure time, and definitely not as places to work. However, in recent years, many Japanese elderly people have become eager to play a more active role, similar to that of American elderly people. Some day care centers use "work" as therapy. For example, a woman who was a wonderful cook before suffering a stroke might be assigned to be a cooking instructor for other stroke victims.

The paper examines various innovative ways in which "work" is used in both America and Japan, delineates the meaning of "work" in old age, and shows how it makes life worth living for elderly people.