- 學位論文
台灣原住民女性長者之老化經驗
The Aging Experiences in Indigenous Elderly Women in Taiwan
摘要
背景：台灣原住民女性都市長者一直以來面臨主流弱勢包括：提早老化、遷居造成的文化落差與經濟等等多重衝擊，然而國內外以原住民女性長輩本身的視角來探討老化的相關研究仍付闕如，本研究秉持尊重的態度並深入探究原住民長者老化議題，為原住民老人累積照護知識與提供建議。 目的：本研究透過原住民女性長者的經驗分享，探索台灣原住民女性長者的老化經驗。 方法：本研究植基於海德格現象學(Heideggerian phenomenological approach)探究原住民女性長者的老化經驗。研究以便利取樣與滾雪球方式招募研究參與者，透過深度訪談收集資料。本研究共招募19位原住民女性長者平均年齡 71.2 ?b 8.1 歲。訪談內容予以錄音並轉成逐字稿，運用van Manen的策略進行資料的分析。訪談大綱包括「請問您什麼時候開始感覺自己老了？」「什麼情況讓您(開始)覺得自己老了？」等等，引發研究參與者自由描述經驗。 發現與貢獻：歸納整合分析結果呈現三大主題：活在當下(living in the moment)、盡力為家 (doing the best for the family)以及扎根(grounding oneself)。相關之組成包括：一天過一天(making it a day)、做自己(being oneself)、面對改變與挑戰(facing incoming changes and challenges and finding the ways)、連結與互動(tying and interacting with surroundings)、信仰(believing)、家庭至上(prioritizing the family)、常伴家庭(being around with family)、勿為負擔(not wanting to become the burden of the family)、這個年紀(accepting this age)、不覺老(getting old but not feeling old)、連結(connecting with the origin)。此研究發現有助於深入了解原住民女性長者的老化經驗與狀況，提供老人健康照顧專家、教學者以及政策擬定者對原住民女性長者的老化、性別與文化等等議題的覺知與敏感度以及在臨床實務、教學及設立政策時的參考。
並列摘要
Background: Indigenous elderly women in Taiwan encounter challenges within their life journey including aging, gender, relocating, cultural, and financial issues. There is scare relevant information from emic perspectives to guide and help professionals who hold key responsibilities to focus on, to respect, and to respond to their unique considerations and needs, and to expand and fulfill the knowledge base. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to explore what aging means to indigenous elderly women in Taiwan, their perspectives of aging / aging well, and expectations toward life. Method: The Heideggerian phenomenological approach was utilized to explore participants' shared aging experiences. Convenience and snowball sampling was used to recruit participants, which included being referred from relatives, neighbors, friends and participants. Nineteen elderly women were recruited. Information was collected through in-depth interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim as to what was read and thought iteratively during the interpretive process by mainly applying van Manen’s strategies. Interview questions were provided such as “when did you first begin to feel becoming old?” and “what did you experience?” during the interview. Finding and Implication: Nineteen indigenous elderly women were recruited with mean age 71.2 ?b 8.1 years. The findings revealed how indigenous elderly females experienced aging, what was important to them, and how they viewed themselves and their life within the aging journey. The storylines were revealed and included making it a day, being oneself, facing incoming changes and challenges and finding the way, tying and interacting with surroundings, believing, prioritizing the family, being around with the family, not wanting to become a burden on the family, accepting this age, getting old but not feeling old and connecting with the origin. These storylines fell into three broad themes containing (a) living in the moment, (b) doing the best for the family and (c) grounding oneself. Such findings could provide valuable information for gerontological health professionals, educators and policy-makers in practicing, teaching, consulting and adjusting policies. These might enhance the awareness and sensitivity of aging, gender and indigenous culture, and meet indigenous elderly women’s needs and expectations. In addition, the results could enrich the knowledge of aging in indigenous elderly women in Taiwan and might serve as a reference for future research.