earticle

영어

This study aims to explore the factors that enhance life satisfaction among the elderly in the context of a rapidly aging society, by analyzing the mediating effect of social support based on the concept of active aging proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Using data from the 9th wave of the Korean Retirement and Income Study (KReIS), the study analyzed 3,754 individuals aged 65 and older. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among active aging, social support, and life satisfaction. The analysis revealed that active aging had a significant positive effect on life satisfaction, and that the indirect effect mediated by social support was also statistically significant. Specifically, active aging positively influenced social support (β = .318), and social support in turn had a direct positive effect on life satisfaction (β = .362). While active aging had a direct effect on life satisfaction as well, the indirect effect through social support (β = .064) demonstrated a stronger influence. The mediating effect of social support was further validated using the bootstrapping method. The 95% confidence interval [.029, .203] did not include zero, confirming the statistical significance of the mediation. This finding suggests that social support plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between active aging and life satisfaction. These results underscore the importance of not only enhancing physical health and encouraging social participation among older adults, but also strengthening emotional stability and expanding social networks. Policy implications include the need to establish community-based social support systems, provide customized activity programs, and develop integrated elderly welfare policies.