Cross-national research about the possibility of the new services which involves the elderly with the community; EN-GAWA service that is integrated with public welfare services

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22402046
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Social welfare and social work studies
• Research Institution: Hokkaido Information University
• Principal Investigator: HAYATA Naohiko 北海道情報大学, 情報メディア学部, 教授 (40301014)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KATAYAMA Megumi 札幌市立大学, デザイン学部, 講師 (40433130) ; FUKUDA Nana 北海道科学大学, 工学部, 講師 (70554731)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 社会福祉関係 / コミュニティ / 高齢者 / 縁側サービス / 国際比較 / QOL / 居場所 / コミュニティカフェ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research investigated over ten sites in five countries, e.g., “Mather’s More Than a Cafe” in Chicago, USA, “Chiiki-shokudo” operated in Kushiro, Japan, “Day Service” operated by Enkyo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and “Activity Center” in Chang Rong Community and Tainan-YMCA in Taiwan. All sites provide meal and/or cafe services and many programs such as computer classes, singing club, fitness, care prevention classes, holding events and so on.
We interviewed over 200 people, including elderly customers and organizers about their Quality Of Life, activities in their communities including their visits to the places. We used questionnaires such as PGC Morale Scale as a part of the interview. Through the interviews, we found their emotional and behavioral changes, i.e., participants are motivated to be more active, before and after participation of the sites.
As a result, these places could be the platform for the elderly to find a sense of belonging and reason for living.

Free Research Field

環境行動学