Creation of Community Care Through the Restoration of“ Mutual Aid” in Okinawa:

Evaluation of Challenges Posed by the Discontinuation of Publicly Supported Long-Term Care Services and Introduction of Nursing Care with Utilization of Local Festival Activities

Abstract

Purpose
This paper evaluates the background to the introduction of long-term care with utilization of local festival activities upon the discontinuation of publicly supported long-term care services, as well as associated challenges on a minor outlying island, thereby discussing the creation of community care through the restoration of mutual aid as local culture in Okinawa.
Method
After grasping the background to the discontinuation of publicly supported long-term care services on an Okinawan island where the influence of local culture remains strong, a semi-structured interview survey regarding the discontinuation was conducted with 10 care provider (hereinafter, “care workers”) and 27 members of families of long-term care receivers (hereinafter, “families”). The survey data were then subjected to qualitative inductive analysis, and both sets of data were summarized and discussed to identify the nature of the strengths of community care arising from the utilization of the local culture of minor outlying islands.
Results
Assessment of the background revealed that replacement of the traditional care style, which mainly relied on family members and local people (in the form of mutual aid), with publicly supported long-term care services created a sense of crisis that elderly residents in need of long-term care would be deprived of their sense of unity with their families and the community. Both care workers and families identified [pleasurable reactions of the elderly] and [positive value to have local festivals at home]. Care walkers identified [confirmation of family care], [expectation of motivation to live through local festivals], [revival of island local festivals by the care of island residents and mission], [new tasks after discontinuation of long-term cares] and [reflection of the care so far]. Families identified [accepting of family care], [enhancement of family tie by local festivals], [empathy and appreciation to the view of care of island residents], [limitation of family care] and [dissatisfaction of long-term care services discontinuation].
Discussion
From the evaluation of discontinuation of long-term cares in a minor outlying islands, we found utilization of local culture creates local care. Since local culture exists in each everyday life area or self-governing association in urban areas, the necessity of incorporating community culture to build comprehensive community care system.