Research 1

RELIGION ELUCIDATION FOR THE OLD FOLK IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF LOGOTHERAPY VIKTOR E. FRANKL

(Case Study Toward Old Folk at the Old Folks’ Home “Harapan Ibu” Beringin Ngalian Semarang)

ABSTRACT

At the age of old, human’s condition tends to disable to stand alone. But there is one who lives alone at home without companion, lives on the burden of his family, or lives at the old folks’ home. In this third part, a psychological problem usually appears from the sense of isolation from his family, or from the sense of self-meaningless because of his disability of survive. Thus, the age of old is felt as a frighten monster and colored by various displeasure conditions. For this one, logotherapy is the solution to reduce some psychological problems experienced by old folk—especially at the old folks’ home—by coming their self-confidences back to themselves to undergo the more meaningful life. As the founder of logotherapy, Viktor E. Frankl confirms that this spiritual dimension has no relation with religion (secular). For this statement, Hanna Djumhana Bastaman tried theoretically to make a relation between the spiritual dimension with religious aspects. So that, this research efforts to look for the truth about Hanna’s opinion who said that spiritual dimension in the frame of religion can be involved in the process of logotherapy. Because logotherapy constitutes a psychotherapy technique that must be clinically and really proved, not just a theory as Hanna done. Distinctly, this research discusses two main problems; 1) What is something that can make old folks’ life—at the old folks’ home “Harapan Ibu” Beringin Semarang—meaningful?; 2) How far can religion elucidation that is convinced by old folk at the old folks’ home “Harapan Ibu” Beringin Semarang influence the logotherapy process?
This research is the qualitative field research by accidental sampling. The population used in this research includes guardian, manager and some old folks at the old folks’ home “Harapan Ibu” Beringin Semarang. Now the method of collecting data is observation, interview, questioner and documentation. While the method of analyzing data is descriptive qualitative analysis.
The result of this research said that something that can make old folks’ life—at the old folks’ home “Harapan Ibu” Beringin Semarang—meaningful can be categorized into four matters, those are: 1) by working and creating; 2) rethinking values of life and weaving friendship; 3) making attitude toward suffering; and 4) elucidating life through religious ways. Religion becomes important for their life, because there is no hope at the age of old except God’s help. Although they often feel anxiety and suffering toward their healthy that is more and more reduced, but they recognize to receive condition and submit to God’s divine decree. Religion elucidation, for old folk at the old folks’ home, is more concerned to their submission to God. By this submission, their life become meaningful, so their souls become more quiet and peaceful in undergoing their life.
Keywords: old folk, logotherapy, religion elucidation and meaning of life.