Views of life and death and spiritual pain among elderly individuals : Clarification of the structure of pain and creation of a care program

2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19592514
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Clinical nursing
• Research Institution: Aichi Prefectural College of Nursing & Health
• Principal Investigator: KOMATSU Makiko Aichi Prefectural College of Nursing & Health, 看護学部, 教授 (50170163)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MOMOSE Yumiko 愛知県立大学 (20262735)
• Project Period (FY): 2007 – 2010
• Keywords: スピリチュアル / 死生観 / 高齢者 / 看護職 / 介護職 / 在宅 / 老人福祉施設

Research Abstract

In the present study, we elucidated the spiritual pains felt by elderly individuals, their daily joys and reasons for living, and implementation of spiritual care and related issues by interviewing nine nurses involved in geriatric care at welfare facilities or homes, eight care professionals, and 14 elderly individuals living at home or in welfare facilities. Spiritual pains included the hardship of not being able to live independently due to impaired physical function, being sorry for being a burden to others, loneliness and isolation due to loss of family, and wishing for death so as to be freed from hardships. Elderly individuals who had favorable relationships with the people around them felt "happy at present", regardless of whether they lived in facilities or at home. The present findings revealed requirements for spiritual care for elderly individuals.