Cultural Anthropology Research on Older Adults' Well-being and the Application of Alternative Medicine in Switzerland

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370960
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: National Museum of Ethnology
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Nanami 国立民族学博物館, 研究戦略センター, 教授 (80298744)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: スイス / 補完代替医療 / ウェルビーイング / 高齢者 / エイジング・イン・プレイス / 地域文化 / 養生 / ドイツ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In aging societies, regimens that work well with mental and physical disorders have been attracting more attention. This research studied the practices and deployment of various regimens called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and healing alternatives that have not been accepted in modern medicine (cosmopolitan medicine), focusing on their application toward promoting the wellbeing of older adults. Information and the results of field studies conducted in Switzerland and Germany, where modern medicine as well as folk medicine and alternative medicine have been utilized, were collected.
Complementary and alternative medicines in Switzerland and Germany are based on the local tradition of treatment and regimens, and this research has revealed that the medicines not only affect the mental and physical wellbeing of older adults, but also help those places that work to become bases of local regimen culture and develop as commons shared by people of all ages.

Free Research Field

文化人類学