介護者が高齢者にとる位置と向きの分析

Examination of Caregivers over Their Position and the Direction of Their Eyes toward the Elderly Care Receivers

要旨

　本研究の目的は，介護者が高齢者との間にとる位置や視線の向きが虐待とどのように関係しているかを分析し，作成した「対人距離評価表」の有用性について検討することである．対象者は，主介護者53名である．分析は虐待あり群27名，虐待なし群26名の2群に分類し行った．対象者には，介護者の高齢者に対する心理的距離を投影法的に捉える「対人距離評価表」を用いて実施した．

　その結果，虐待あり群の介護者シールの位置は，高齢者が食事介助を必要としている，徘徊している場面で半数以上が，枠外(室外)や高齢者の真後ろであった．視線の向きは，高齢者が徘徊している場面(77.7％)，介護者に反抗的な場面(70.3％)が，高齢者に無関係な方向に視線を向けていた．「対人距離評価表」の介護者シールの位置や視線の向きは，高齢者と介護者の人間関係など介護状況を反映することが示唆された．

Abstract

　One purpose of this study was to examine how the relationship between caregivers and the elderly care receivers is associated with the position of caregivers and the direction of their eyes toward the elderly. The other purpose was to assess the usability of the inter-personal distance evaluation form. We examined 53 primary caregivers,which were classified into two groups：27 of them who abused the elderly, and 26 who didn't. We also adopted the inter-personal distance evaluation form which projects psychological distance of caregivers toward the elderly who receive their care.

　The result shows that in the situations set on the evaluation form, “caregiver stickers”were mostly affixed to the side or diagonally behind the elderly. However more than half of the abusive caregivers were situated outside the room or directly behind the elderly when they wandered or needed help with eating. Such positions are observed when caregivers disassociate themselves from the elderly. As for the direction of their eyes, caregivers mostly watched the elderly in front or within their views, yet in the case of the abusive caregivers,they cast their eyes to irrelevant directions when the elderly were wandering (77.7％) or being rebellious (70.3％). These results imply that the inter-personal distance evaluation form which describes the position of caregivers and the direction of their eyes reflects the relationship between caregivers and the elderly care receivers.