Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

This study aims to clarify endeavors implemented on a day-to-day basis by caregiving staff at long-term care health facilities with a high-level of home-care support functions to enhance an autonomous transition of elderly people. Individual interviews were held with caregiving staff employed at rehabilitation facilities for the elderly capable of appraising the addition of support functions for elderly returning home or receiving treatment at home. The interview covered practices and perceptions regarding returning home. Content analysis was used to conduct inductive, qualitative categorization. There were thirteen participants from five facilities. From the interview data 125 codes were elicited concerning endeavors implemented with the aim of transitioning elderly requiring care to independent living. Ultimately, “building a cooperative relationship with the elderly individual”, and “respecting the wishes of the elderly individual and family”, etc. were included in thirteen categories. From the beginning, long-term care health facilities in Japan were anticipated to be intermediary institutions that support the transition from medical facility to home. Therefore, it is very interesting that, in addition to efforts aimed at independence and functional recovery that enable the elderly individual to return home, the results of this study also indicate endeavors such as building a cooperative relationship with the elderly individual and respecting the wishes of the elderly individual and family. This study was supported by KAKENHI(15K11797).