Educational Needs Analysis of Older Adults Based on McClusky’s Educational Needs of the Ageing

The purpose of this study is to examine the educational needs of older adults based on McClusky’s Educational Needs of the Ageing. To this end, 31 educational program items were developed to address the five categories identified by McClusky: coping, expressive, contributive, influence, and transcendence needs. A survey was conducted with 360 older adults aged 60 to 74 residing in the Seoul metropolitan area. Borich’s Needs Assessment and the Locus for Focus Model were utilized to determine the prioritization of these educational needs. The findings revealed that influence, transcendence, and contributive needs were evaluated as having a higher priority than coping and expressive needs. In terms of educational programs, digital literacy, health management, legal and daily life skills, life transition, peer support, awareness-raising activities, environmental protection, mental maturity, and well-dying programs were identified as top priority needs, while music and leadership education programs were ranked as secondary priorities. These findings highlight the importance of a balanced approach to addressing the five categories of educational needs, diversifying educational programs, and strengthening strategies that promote empowerment and social contribution among older adults. The study also calls for developing suitable tools to assess educational needs and criteria for classifying programs for older adults.