ひとり暮らしの女性要支援高齢者が他者と交流することの意味

Significance of Interactions with Others for Elderly Women Who Live Alone and Need Support

抄録

　本研究の目的は，集団活動に参加していないひとり暮らしの女性要支援高齢者が他者と交流する意味を明らかにすることである．要支援2の女性高齢者5人を対象に半構成的面接を行い，質的統合法（KJ法）を用いて分析した．その結果，女性要支援高齢者の交流は，自己を肯定的にとらえる「承認の交流」として【大切な人の力になれることに感じる幸せ】【変わらぬ対等な関係でいてくれることの価値】【構築してきた信頼関係と居心地のよさから得られる安心感】【人生を映し出す現在の交流への自負心】が，自分らしい終焉を模索する「死に向き合う交流」として【周囲の人の老いと死にふれて感じる自分の死への葛藤と準備】【悔いのない人生を楽しむための他者との時間】があった．女性要支援高齢者は自らが選択した大切な人との交流を通し，老いる自身のアイデンティティを統合していると考えられた．今後の支援として，今ある交流の意義を見直し，その有効な継続を維持・発展させるようなかかわりが必要であると思われた．

　The purpose of this study was to elucidate the significance of interactions with others for elderly women who live alone and need support, and who do not participate in group activities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five elderly women who had support need level 2, and their responses were analyzed using a qualitative synthesis method (KJ method). Interactions of these elderly women that were classified as ‘interactions of approval’ for a positive sense of self were as follows: “the pleasure of being able to do something for loved ones"; “the importance of an unaltered relationship with loved ones"; “the sense of security obtained from the comfortable and mutually-trusting relationship that has been created" “self-confidence in current interactions that reflect their past experiences". Conversely, interactions that were classified as “interactions to face death" for finding a way to confront death in one's own way were as follows: “spending time with friends to enjoy life to the fullest"; and “the conflicts and preparation for death realized through the aging process and the death of loved ones". It was considered that the elderly women requiring support were assimilating their own aging identities through interactions with the persons whom they selected. For future support, it was considered to be important to re-examine the current significance of the interactions and effectively maintain and develop it.