Developing effective support programs to build sustainable communities for the holistic health of older people

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11187
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: National Center for Global Health and Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Higuchi Machiko 国立研究開発法人国立国際医療研究センター, その他部局等, 国立看護大学校 教員 (40335584)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 全人的健康 / 持続可能 / 地域支援プログラム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project aimed to identify the conditions and factors that drive older adults in developing countries with low gross national income to end their lives. Through interviews with informants, community visits, and observation of older adults’ care support activities, we found that, based on strong local and blood ties and religious beliefs, local residents are initiating older adults’ care support activities on a nationwide scale under public-private partnerships.
However, these activities differ owing to the knowledge and experience of those in charge of these activities. Additionally, public health midwives and public health inspectors are the main professionals assigned to the communities. Their area of expertise is limited to taking measures to prevent infectious diseases and providing maternal and child care. Hence, the needs of older adults of such communities largely remain unfulfilled.

Free Research Field

高齢者看護学および地域看護学関連

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

地域で高齢者支援を担当する住民に対する研修内容の改善および担当部署職員が現地に出向き日常的に活動をサポートすることによって、高齢者支援プログラムの活性化が期待できる。また、地域保健分野の専門家配置の見直しと地域における公的な介護サービス制度の確立が急務であるとともに、高齢者が育んできた個々の人生観に即した支援プログラムの構築に向けたさらなる詳細な現状把握の必要性が示唆された。