ABSTRACT
This study discusses how elderlies define the word “happy” as their noblest idea at the end of their lives and how their implications on the collective society become a challenge. The study was conducted in DKI Jakarta, West Java, and Yogyakarta. This study employed qualitative research design by using a phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 informants categorized into elderly and 12 key informants understanding the field of continuity. To complete the data needed, observations and library research related to the field of this study were also employed. The results showed that according to the participants, the definition of “happy” was: (1) living with posterity, (2) being healthy and having activities; (3) being listened to and being humanized, and (4) having financial assurance. This definition is a big challenge for the collective community. People who initially have an extended family move into a nuclear family, making children separate from their parents or vice versa for reasons such as wanting to be independent, eliminating dependency, and or migrating to other areas that make the elderly live lonely. Social solidarity in the community is also weakening so that elderly people are increasingly displaced by poverty. As a consequence, social support and policies that support the elderly are needed. The conclusion of this study is that the happiness of the elderly in their age is a shared responsibility between family, society, and the government.
