Research on Roles and Functions of Carer's Café: Trajectory Equifinality Modeling to Visualize the Process of Social Prescribing

Abstract

Social prescribing has received attention as a way to deal with social isolation, but there is no social prescribing in Japan that is handled as an insurance treatment. There are few studies on social prescribing targeting caregivers. This study clarified the role and function of A-Cafe, a community space in A-drugstore, and visualized the process of social prescribing for caregivers in A-Cafe. 3 caregivers who use A-Cafe were interviewed and the collected data were analyzed using Trajectory Equifinality Modeling. The results showed that the three caregivers were supported by their friends and employees of A-Café with whom they could consult for advice, and that their individual paths converged at the isochronous point of "creating opportunities for care together. I believe that A Café has the potential to embody all-generational community-based comprehensive care as a means of social prescribing.