施設で生活している障がいのある人をわが子にもつ高齢の母親の体験

Experiences of Japanese Older Adult Mothers Caring for Children with Disabilities Who Live in Institutions

要旨

　目的：施設で生活する障がいのある人をわが子にもつ高齢の母親の体験を明らかにすることである．

　方法：母親2人へ半構造化面接を行い，質的記述的に分析した．

　結果：これらの母親の【わが子の権利や生活の豊かさを守るよう努める】【わが子のケアの質に伴う心理的負担を感じる】【わが子への地域で質の高い包括的なサービスを望む】【わが子の将来の不安に直面する】【自身と夫の老いに伴う家族全体の変化を案じる】【わが子を託せる人や社会を求める】という6つの体験が明らかになった．

　結論：迫るわが子の将来への不安，自身や夫の老い，家族全体の変化など，多重の不安を抱えるこれらの母親に対して，ライフコースを見据えた発達段階に応じた心理的な支援，母親が親としてわが子へしたいと願うことを可能な限り維持しながら，安心してその役割を託せる障がいのある人の権利と生活が守られる質の高いサービス，それを実現しうる人と社会が課題と考えられた．

　Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the experiences of older adult mothers with children with disabilities who live in institutions.

　Methods: This study used a qualitative-descriptive study design. Semi-structured interviews were administered to two mothers caring for children with disabilities living in a facility.

　Results: Based on our results, the experiences among Japanese older adult mothers caring for such children were grouped into six categories as follows: “Strive to protect my child's rights and quality of life,” “Feeling the psychological burden associated with the quality of care for my child,” “Hoping that my child will receive comprehensive healthcare services in the community,” “Face the future anxiety of my child,” “Worried about changes in the whole family due to the aging of myself and my husband,” and “Seeking people and society who can entrust their children”. These mothers experience multiple anxieties, such as the future of their children, the aging of themselves and their husbands, and changes in the entire family.

　Conclusions: It is necessary to provide psychological support to parents according to their developmental stage based on the life course of these children and their families. In addition, the results of this study require comprehensive high-quality services that protect the rights and lives of people with disabilities who can entrust their roles with peace of mind while maintaining as much as possible what the mother wants to give to her child as a parent, and people in the community and society that can realize it.