Personal Growth Initiative in Young Old’s Successful Life

: Entering elderly, individuals will experience many changes in their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social abilities. These changes include decreased strength and function of the body, decreased memory, feelings of loneliness, and reduced social interaction. On the other hand, there are still elderly people who have economic responsibilities to their families, or are just at home without as much activity as they used to have at work. This makes them experience extraordinary feelings. In a psychosocial perspective, there are elderly people who are wise because they have succeeded in interpreting their lives so that they feel happy and satisfied with their lives, but there are also elderly people who feel hopeless, regret, angry, and hurt. The purpose of this study is to describe Personal Growth Initiative (PGI) of the young-old age group who are successful in their lives. The subjects of this study range aged 65 to 74 years, total of 3 person (2 male and 1 female). This study used a qualitative method, data collected by using open-ended questions. Data analysis is conducted by using text analysis. This study shows that successful young-old people have high PGI scores. It means that they have good skills and efforts in developing themselves into better individuals. In addition, it is revealed that their happiness is not only in terms of career but also family. The reasons that make the young-old people have good PGI are tenacity in learning, persistence in struggling even though it is difficult, self-esteem, and belief in God. Support from family, partner, and environment also help them to have good PGI. They start trying to be good people since they have new responsibilities in their lives and since they have lost something meaningful in their lives.