Pastoral care for the elderly faced with the option of suicide in South Korea : a narrative approach

Abstract

This study is an attempt to analyse and understand elderly suicide within the context of pastoral counselling in the current Korean society. This research on elderly suicide is carried out from the perspective of postfoundationalist practical theology, using a narrative method as a methodological approach. For this purpose, Korean novels that deal with elderly suicide were analysed and in-depth interviews with four co-researchers who have attempted suicide or have any family members who committed suicide were conducted. This research was conducted on a social constructionist basis. The power of modern discourses were analyzed using the narratives of the four co-researchers’ experiences. The aim of this analysis is to figure out the ways in which the dominant discourse of South Korean society constructs the lives of the co-researchers. The harmful influences of these discourses have been deconstructed through the interviews. In order to better understand the narratives of the co-researchers, an interdisciplinary team approach to this research was employed. As informed by the various interpretations and new understandings that all four team members provided, I am impressed by the power of the narrative approach. This study demonstrates that elderly suicide is not a trivial problem but a very serious problem in South Korea. The contribution of this study is to show that elderly people are able to re-author their own lives, as opposed to the social common belief that they are obstinate and unchangeable. I would never have reached this conclusion without listening to the narratives of the co-researchers.