A study on strengths of middle-aged men who lost their wives and their families

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K12062
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Clinical nursing
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Sakaguchi Miwa (荒木美和) 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (90340348)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐々木 裕子 愛知医科大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (10351149)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 中年期男性 / 配偶者の死 / 家族 / 強み

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was for researchers to collaborate with middle-aged men who lost their wives due to illness to explore the strengths of a family in a story of experiences that focuses on the history of the family from pre-mortem to the present, and it was to reveal an overview of the strengths of the family.Six people cooperated in the study, and had been bereaved from their wives for one to four years.Some have been assisted by a home-based palliative care team to treat their wives.
As a result of interpreting "narratives" based on the KJ method, the family's strengths were widespread.
And the following elements were found:"I was able to protect my family"，"I have overcome the difficulties of nursing at home"，"I did my best"，"I will not waste this experience"，"I have new connections with my family, including my dead wife"，"I was able to balance nursing and work"，"I will live my life consciously".

Free Research Field

終末期ケア、緩和ケア、遺族ケア

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

妻を亡くした中年期男性は、精神的身体的健康障害リスクが大きい。大きな喪失感を味わうと、悲しみだけにとらわれて自分の力に気づかなかったり、過小評価したり、家族それぞれがもつ可能性に気づかないことが多いと言われている。しかし、全ての家族には喜びを分かち合い、苦悩を乗り越え対処してきた強みがある。中年期男性家族の強みの全体像を明らかにすることで、一見脆弱に見える家族を彼らの強みの視点から少しでも理解を深めることができる。そして、死別の様々な課題に対処する力を支えるケアの示唆を得ることができる。