健康高齢者を対象とした認知症啓発講座への継続参加を支える要因

Factors Supporting Continuous Participation in a Dementia Awareness Course for Healthy Elderly Individuals

抄録

　本研究は，2009年度より実施している認知症啓発講座に継続的に参加している健康高齢者を対象とし，講座への継続的参加を支える要因を明らかにすることを目的とした．本講座に1年半以上参加し続けている18人を対象とし，半構成的面接および参加観察による質的記述的分析を行った．その結果，【認知症が他人ごとではない】【自分の世界が広がる体験ができる】【変化する自分に講座の効果を実感する】【人生と向き合うことができる】【講座がよりどころになっている】【主体的に参加できる場がある】【続けたい思いが妨げられるときがある】という7つのカテゴリーが生成された．年々認知症が他人ごとではなくなってきた参加者にとって，講座は主体的に参加できる場であり，よりどころとなっていた．一方で，講座についていけないときがあるといった続けたい思いが妨げられる要因も挙げられた．今後は高齢者の主体性を尊重しながら，続けたい思いを支えることの必要性が示唆された．

　The objective of the present study was to elucidate factors supporting the continuous participation of elderly individuals in a “dementia awareness course”, which has been conducted since fiscal year 2009. Semi-structured interviews and a qualitative, descriptive analysis using participant observation were conducted on 18 individuals who had been continuously participating in the present course for at least one and a half years. Based on the results, the following 7 categories were generated: “anyone can develop dementia”, “enables me to have experiences that broaden my horizons”, “realize the effects of the course through changes in self”, “enables me to face up to life”, “the course has become a source of support”, “there are opportunities for independent participation”, and “desire to continue is sometimes hindered“. For the participants, who became increasingly aware with age that they too could develop dementia, the course served as an opportunity for independent participation as well as a source of support. On the other hand, factors hindering the desire to continue participation, specifically times at which participants felt they could not keep up with the course, were also identified. These findings indicate the need in the future to support the desire of elderly individuals to continue participation while respecting their independence.