星雲人間佛教對老人關懷之探討－以宜蘭仁愛之家日托班為例

An Exploration of the Elderly Care Offered by Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Humanistic Buddhism A Case Study on the Home of Benevolence and Love in Yilan

釋永東(Ven. Yong Dong)

《《人間佛教叢書》2013星雲大師人間佛教理論實踐研究(上)》 2013 (2013/08) Pp. 342-344+346-393

摘要

台灣在1993年時老年人口比例即達7%，正式邁入高齡化社會，並逐年遞增，迄2011年已占總人口比率10.74%，這同時又受到低出生率少子化的影響，以及台灣民眾受縛于儒家傳統孝養思想，無法像歐美西方家庭接受在養老院終老的觀念，因此，更突顯台灣老年照護的急迫需求。早期相關學術研究，主要針對政府老齡長期照護的政策研究，近幾年才出現老年日間照顧的探討。老年人口預估已達12.5%超出全國平均比例的宜蘭地區，歷年來分別有天主教、基督教和佛教團體試辦過老人日間照顧，卻少有成功者，迄今卻未見任何有關這些宗教團體老年日間照顧的學術研究，故值得本論文以其中唯一成功由星雲人間佛教所辦的宜蘭仁愛之家日托班，在未蒙政府任何補助情況下，十多年來仍能成功經營的實例做深入探討，以瞭解星雲人間佛教透過日間照顧給予老人何種關懷？成效如何？以及在未來永續經營過程中可能面臨的困難？並藉以瞭解宗教信仰是否會影響老人參與日間照顧的決定因素。本研究方法主要為質性研究之文獻觀察的比較與分析、實地的參與觀察以及透過仁愛之家工作人員、日托班學員與其家屬的深度訪談。希冀藉此論文呈現出基於星雲人間佛教對老人的關懷，所經營的老人日間照顧的成功模式，以做為未來有意辦理老人日間照顧者的參考。

關鍵字

高齡化社會 ； 老年日間照顧 ； 宜蘭仁愛之家 ； 老人日托班

並列摘要

In 1993, the proportion of elderly people in the Taiwan population had reached 7%, and Taiwan thus formally became an advanced-age society. The proportion increases each year. By the end of April 2011, the figure had already reached 10.74%. At the same thing being confronted by low birthrates and the traditional Confucian idea of filial piety is still strong among the Taiwanese, hence obliged many are to take care of their parents unlike those in the west the Western practice of allowing the elderly spend their final years in senior homes unacceptable. This situation further highlights the urgent need for elderly care in Taiwan. Early relevant academic research mainly focuses on the government's long-term policy on elderly care. It is only in recent years has the issue of elderly day-care received some attention, particularly in communities in the eastern parts of the country. Though elderly day-care services are offered by Christian, Catholic and Buddhist groups, most of them are not successful at all and studies of such services have never been made before. For this reason, an in-depth study was conducted in the Home of Benevolence and Love in Yi Lan, a private and financially self-supported elderly day-care center, and the findings are presented in this paper. In addition, this paper covers issues relating to the types of concern for the elderly in the day-care services offered by Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Humanistic Buddhism, the effectiveness of such services, potential future challenges and solutions, and questions such as whether or not religious belief influences the elderly's decision to choose the elderly day-care center. The methodology of this study mainly focuses on qualitative research which entails a perusal and an analysis of documents and records, in-depth interviews with the management, staff, and participants of the Home of Benevolence and Love, as well as on-site visits and observations. The goal of this paper is to present an example of a successful elderly day-care service and to confirm the elderly services offered by religious groups really do help old people live out their final years with comfort and dignity. Lastly, this paper provides due reference for non-religious bodies considering similar services.

並列關鍵字

advanced-age society ； elderly day-care service ； Home of Benevolence and Love in Yilan ； elderly day-care programs