Yaşlılık ve Dini Başa Çıkma: Ömür Dediğin Programı Örneği Religious Coping at Old Age: ‘Ömür Dediğin’ TV Programme As An Example

Old age is a period when physiological, cognitive and psychosocial changes become more evident compared to other periods of life. During this period, there is a decrease in the body's functional capacity. Besides, memory-related cognivite problems may be encountered. However, death, which is considered a closer possibility at old age, death of family members and relatives, loss of roles and loneliness are some of the psychosocial problems encountered. In this context, the main problem of the study is to identify the psychosocial problems faced by elderly individuals and to evaluate the process of coping with these problems from the perspective of religious psychology. Due to the change in the population structure, the rate of elderly population in our country and the world is increasing day by day. In this context, what the psychosocial problems of elderly individuals are and what methods come to the fore in the process of coping with these problems are important as it will provide data to the science of psychology and religious psychology and to relevant public and non-governmental organizations that work with elderly individuals. In the study, specific to the program "Ömür Dediğin" ıt is aimed to identify the psychosocial problems faced by elderly individuals and to reveal what kind of coping activities, especially religion, play a role in the process of coping with these problems. Within the scope of this study, the "Ömür Dediğin" program, in which elderly participants appeared as guests, was handled and examined as a document. Program sections related to the purposeful sampling technique used in the qualitative research design were identified. In this context, the group of the study consists of all 315 episodes of the "Ömür Dediğin" program broadcast as of 20.10.2023 and the sample consists of 45 episodes of the "Ömür Dediğin" program. In analyzing the opinions obtained in the study, thematic and descriptive content analysis was preferred. According to the results of the research, it was evaluated that carrying out continuous care was perceived as a difficult and troublesome process by elderly individuals due to death anxiety, needing someone else, loneliness, death of spouse or children, and chronic illness of close family members (spouse, children). Although it is seen that the coping methods used may differ depending on the problems experienced, religion has been seen to be an important coping source in this process. It has been determined that belief in fate, prayer, social support, belief in the afterlife, gratitude, perception of test, and reading religious boks, patience are the main religious coping activities used. Elderly individuals benefit from religious coping elements as well as different coping methods in the process of coping with the problems they encounter. Accordingly, making an effort to socialize more, getting a job and occupation, transferring feelings and thoughts to written texts, turning to nature, memory and dreams were determined as some prominent coping methods.

* This article is extracted from my master thesis entitled “A Research on Elderly Individuals’ Life, Religion and Value Perceptions and Coping Proceses: The Example of Program Ömür Dediğin”, which was completed in 2024 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Behlül Tokur (Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Philosopy and Religious Studies).