| Abstrakt: |
This study aims at generating a new interview method of qualitative research, appropriate for understanding social interactions in a super-aging society. Several countries are now faced with an aging problem. In particular, the Japanese population took a downward turn in 2005, and Japanese society is now comprised of 21 percent of over 65 year-old people, which Japan has never experienced. The working population of Japanese society is expected to decrease rapidly, and society will be largely occupied by elderly people in the near future. Discussion is now being held on how to generate a sustainable super-aging society. Due to this situation, the national government initiated public nursing care insurance ten years ago, and a large number of senior businesses have been generated, including elderly care services, hospices, nursing home services, and home help services. However, the care business for the elderly has the severe problem that a lot of care workers quit their jobs because of psychological stress. One of the reasons is that care workers are not motivated to provide better care services because they cannot interact with the care receivers very well. For example, care workers cannot understand whether the elderly really enjoy their current circumstances. The elderly who can express their intentions can enjoy their care services, such as listening to music. However, the care receivers may become unwilling or hesitant to make requests of those providing care, as they do not want to be thought of as troublesome or a nuisance. For example, the care receivers sometimes may not feel comfortable saying, "I want to go to bathroom. Please help me." In order to investigate this factor, interview or survey is regarded as an important method. However, several senior people cannot necessarily express their own opinions, and especially senior people who require nursing care might have difficulty in speaking. Several helpers state that they are concerned whether senior people are really satisfied with the present situation: They might be stressed by being watched via the Internet all the day. This study aims at generating new research methods for obtaining more detailed information regarding human emotional factors by utilizing sensor technology. It can improve the weaknesses of qualitative research past discussions have pointed out, and develop the validity of collected data and more objective analysis of collected data in qualitative research. As the first step for a new research method, the study uses two types of sensing device. These can be used as a complimentary or an additional source of interview or survey data, as the data obtained by the sensor technology sometimes suggests in what emotional condition the senior people stated certain things. By obtaining the emotional condition data of senior citizens, it becomes possible to generate business which senior citizens really want. Exploring the emotions of those in care in detail will connect the emotional gap between care receivers and care workers, and promote communications between each group. By focusing on the service to what senior citizens want, plenty of sustainable senior business can be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
