Research Related to Quality of End-of-Life Care for Sufferers of Dementia and Family Satisfaction in Assessments Conducted in Welfare Facilities for the Elderly

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K02129
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08020:Social welfare-related
• Research Institution: Chubu Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: GOTO MASUMI 中部学院大学, その他部局等, 教授 (70301710)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 看取り / 緩和ケア / 終末期 / アウトカム / 評価指標 / 家族満足度 / ケアの質の評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Purpose Discovering factors which determine quality of end-of-life care for dementia sufferers and family satisfaction, through evaluations by families and care workers in welfare facilities for the elderly.
Results There was a tendency for family members to express a low level of satisfaction with their own care activities, and a high level of satisfaction with the care provided by facility staff. Factors related to family satisfaction which were statistically significant were “quality of relationship to family”, “presence or absence of a night nurse”, and “additional expenses or lack thereof for end-of-life care”. In workers’ evaluations, a significant difference between implementation and completion was observed in these factors: “existence or lack of a jointly established medical facility”, “possibilities of medical care”, “having more than the regulated number of nurses”, “additional expenses or lack thereof for end-of-life care”.

Free Research Field

地域、在宅看護

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

わが国の認知症高齢者の数は、2025年には700万人を超えることが試算されている。認知症高齢者数が増大し、そのケアの延長線上に終末期のケアが必要となり、誰が何処でどの様に看取るかが、大きな課題となっている。しかし、認知症末期ケアにおける評価に関する情報もほとんどなく介護施設等で看取りケアを受けている人に関する評価の有効な評価指標はない。ケアの質評価については、認知症高齢者の代弁者となる家族にも焦点があてられるべきであるが、その指標もない。今後認知症の人の看取りケアの質を規定する要因を明らかにするとともに、本人と家族が満足できる看取りケアを今、生活している場で継続して行えるように考える必要がある