Elderness and The Structural Change of Elderness in Istanbul

Nowadays, the average life expectancy and the population ageing are increasing both in Turkey and in many parts of the world. The subject of elderness becomes important in a social dimension. So there is need to institutional studies about the problems and the expectations of the elderly people. It is expected to be improved the elderly politics and services too. Both the documentation method and the deep interview method are used in this study. In the sample group of this study there are 45 participants, who are 65 years old or over and who live in Istanbul. And face to face deep interviews with these participants are held in Istanbul. So it is aimed that, the explanation of the present situation of the elderly people in detail. According to the study results, the traditional image of elderly people is changing and there is a structural change of elderness. This structural change of elderness is especially diversification of elderness, getting lonely and younger, individualization and pluralization of the elderness. But unfortunately, the social institutions are not enough to provide with the material and the spiritual needs of the elderly people