Proposing Support Systems Integrating the Welfare of Elderly People and Their Companion Animals

2024 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K02183
• 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: Yokohama National University
• Principal Investigator: Yasuno Mako 横浜国立大学, 教育推進機構, 准教授 (20507793)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 安藤 孝敏 横浜国立大学, 大学院環境情報研究院, 教授 (00202789)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2025-03-31
• Keywords: 人と動物の関係 / 高齢者とペット飼育 / 高齢者福祉 / 伴侶動物福祉 / 地域包括ケアシステム / 官民連携 / 地域共生社会

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to establish a support system that ensures the well-being of both elderly individuals and their companion animals. To this end, interviews were conducted at elderly care facilities that allow residents to live with their pets, along with a nationwide questionnaire survey targeting animal welfare and control administrations. In addition, based on the open-ended responses in the national survey, follow-up interviews were carried out to investigate advanced case studies from municipalities across Japan. Drawing on the findings from these investigations, the study proposes three models of support systems to enable elderly people to live with their companion animals until the end of life with peace of mind: (1) lifelong cohabitation at home with support from the local community, volunteers, or paid services; (2) lifelong cohabitation in pet-inclusive elderly care facilities; and (3) lifelong care through long-term foster programs such as the "permanent foster care" model.

Free Research Field

人と動物の関係学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超高齢社会が益々深刻化する日本において、伴侶動物との共生を望む高齢者が最期まで安心して暮らせる環境の整備は、喫緊の課題である。本研究では、高齢者福祉と動物福祉の両面から現状と課題を整理し、「自助」を基軸に「共助」「公助」を組み合わせた地域共生社会の在り方として、3つのサポート体制を提案した。これは、高齢者と伴侶動物の持続可能な共生に向けた施策の立案に資するものといえる。