The Factors Influencing a Family Caregiver to Continue Home-Based Care for an Elderly Family Member who Lives in the Family Home:An Examination Basing on the Influence Occurrence Process Model of Help Experience

摘要

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence a family caregiver’s decision to continue home-based care for an elderly parent based on the influence occurrence process model of help experience. 500 caregivers (sons, daughters and daughters-in-law) participated in this study, all of whom reside in Shiga and provide home-based care for an elderly parent. This study examines the relevance of 4 factors: the family structure before home-based care was required, the care relationship (who provides and receives care), the caregiver's perceived effectiveness of the care relationship, and the sustainability of the current care relationship. It was found that although family structures and care relationships differed amongst the participants the caregivers' decision to continue home-based care was influenced when they held a feeling of worth and purpose within the care relationship. The caregivers who felt that the care relationship's level of effectiveness was high would continue the current care relationship. However, the caregivers who felt that the current care relationship was ineffective would consider using external elderly care services. Finally, the importance of examining how caregivers can obtain a feeling of worth and purpose is discussed. 本研究の目的は、在宅介護の体制とその継続を規定する介護者の要因を、援助経験の影響生起過程モデルに基づいて、明らかにすることである。調査対象者は、滋賀県内に在住し、要介護認定を受けた親を在宅介護している子ども（息子・娘・嫁）介護者500人である。具体的には、要介護前の家族形態、介護体制、援助効果の認知（やりがい感・生き甲斐感）、および、現介護体制の持続可能性の間の関連性を検討した。その結果、介護体制は、要介護前の家族形態によって異なり、介護に対するやりがい感・生き甲斐感に影響することが明らかになった。さらに、被介護者の様子から援助効果を感じている介護者は、現介護体制を持続させようとする動機づけの高いことが認められたが、援助効果を感じていない介護者は、施設に入所させる意向の強いことが明らかになった。本研究の結果、在宅介護者を支援するには、いかにすれば彼らが介護に対してやりがい感・生き甲斐感を抱けるのかの検討の重要性が示唆された。