Paper short abstract:

In my speech I will try to point out the similarities and differences between Poland and Japan and indicate the model of co-existence of many generations in post-modern society and show which cultural institutions create a new reality in an aging society.

Paper long abstract:

Twenty-first century brings new challenges to the post-industrial societies. Until now, through creating the image of the nuclear family with a relatively small number of children, as a self-sufficient unit of production has led to a significant aging of the population, and in the near future, exacerbating the problem. From the cultural point of view, the transformation of the past fifty years have led to the breaking of traditional models of social ties and thus to changes in the ways of transfer of cultural norms that existed between the generations. It has also led to changes in social roles, as in the new circumstances disappeared the role of grandparents as a carrier of knowledge about traditional culture.

Accordingly, the following questions arise: (1) how the modern post-industrial society organize themselves to ensure the elderly decent living conditions; (2) how the elderly find themselves in the new socio-cultural reality; (3) which cultural institutions took over the tasks traditionally assigned to the extended family relating to the needs of the elderly.

In my analysis I will try to answer these questions through a comparative study of the situation elderly in two different countries - Poland and Japan.

I will try to point out the similarities and differences and indicate the model of co-existence of many generations in post-modern society and show which cultural institutions create a new reality in an aging society.