Brief Reports
Experiences of Elderly Local Welfare Officers Supporting Elderly
2023 Volume 28 Issue 1 Pages 72-79
Details
2023 Volume 28 Issue 1 Pages 72-79
The purpose of this study was to clarify the experiences of elderly welfare officers supporting elderlies in their communities.
The subjects were 10 local welfare officers aged from their late 60s to early 80s, five males and five females each, who had experience supporting elderlies in their communities. Semi-structured interviews focusing on how they felt and thought through their support work were conducted, and data were analyzed qualitatively and descriptively.
Four categories were extracted from their experience in supporting elderlies in their communities: [being worried about how to respond to elderlies], [gaining benefits from being involved with elderlies], [empathizing with elderlies based on their own experiences], and [imagining their future selves at an older age].
One of their strengths is that they can empathize with elderlies based on their own experiences when providing support. However, elderly welfare officers face their own issues, such as aging and declining physical strength. Therefore, organizations that support them need to consider their physical circumstances and provide support to them.
