[[alternative]]A Study on the Social Support and the Life Adjustment of Single-dwelling Elders--Taking Subjects in Kaohsiung Metropolitan Area for Example

[[abstract]] 本研究以質性研究法，實地走訪獨居老人，探究其社會支持與生活適應的情形。研究的場域涵蓋高雄市的楠梓、鼓山、鹽埕、左營、苓雅等區及高雄縣的鳳山、鳥松、仁武等地區，立意取樣共訪視了22位獨居老人，年齡從65歲到89歲不等。 本論文共五章廿五節，此五大章分別為：緒論、文獻探討、研究方法、研究結果與討論分析、結論與建議等。研究者對獨居老人感興趣，無非是意識將來也會躋身獨居之林，藉著研究別人，正可警戒自己，並期能對目前及未來的獨居老人有所裨益。 本研究發現獨居老人之「正式的社會支持」來自政府福利措施的嘉惠，如緊急救護系統、老人救助金、老人津貼、醫療保健；「非正式的社會支持」來自親人、鄰居、朋友、教友、慈善志工等。這些支持供給老年人物質上的資助、生活訊息的提供、以及情感上的支持，使得老年人的基本生活不虞匱乏，並在人際互動中感到自己是被愛的、受到尊重和關懷的，有助於老年人對壓力事件的因應與健康生活的維持，進而提昇其生活品質，增加生活滿意度。 獨居老人的生活適應分為三個層面，即（一）、生理適應之道有：健康維護、順其自然；（二）、心理適應之道有：走出失落、個人正向認知、坦然面對死亡；（三）、社會適應之道有：生活有規律、安貧自立、社交參與、安身立命等。 本研究發現獨居老人並沒有媒體所披露的貧病交加、乏人問津、孤僻怪異，環境髒亂等現象，他們皆有其社會網絡，即使疏密有別，但或多或少都有其支持功能，不至於孤獨無依。他們多漠視生活環境的困艱和問題，且能從傳統的「三代同堂」中解脫，凡事儘量不假手他人，對事物的看法多積極正向，富有哲理，感恩之心，準此，蓋可破除一般人對獨居老人的刻板形象。最後本研究為提升老人的生活品質，分別對政府、獨居老人、以及未來的獨居老人提出建議，在多管齊下，展望未來，晚霞仍可絢麗迷人，令人憧憬與期待的。[[abstract]] This study, based on qualitative research, has adopted fieldwork by interviewing single-dwellers in person to explore single-dwelling elders’ social support and life adjustment. The field settings include 5 areas (Nanzih, Gushan,Yancheng, Zuoying and Lingya) of Kaohsiung City and 3 areas(Fengshan, Niaosong and Renwu) of Kaohsiung County where 22 single-dwelling elders aged from 65 to 89 were sampled through purposive sampling. There are five chapters including twenty-five sections in this thesis: Introduction, Literature Discussion, Research Method, Results and Discussion, and Conclusions and Suggestions. Conscious of the probability of single-dwelling for herself in the future, the researcher has developed interest in studying single-dwelling elders, and hopes that this study will benefit them at the moment and in the future. The results of the study are: “formal social support” comes from governmental welfare, such as emergency aid system, financial aid for elders, allowance for elders and Medicare; “informal social support” comes from relatives, neighbors, friends, religious fellows and charity volunteers, etc. These supports offer elders aids in their material life, information of life, and affective support to ensure that the elders’ daily needs are properly met, and that they are being loved, respected and cared. Such supports will help elders to cope with pressure, maintain a healthy life, and improve their living quality and living satisfaction. There are three dimensions for single-dwelling elders’ life adjustment:1. For physical adjustment, the elders had better maintain their health and let everything go in due course.2. For mental adjustment, the elders had better walk out of loss, keep a positive recognition, and face death frankly.3. For social adjustment, the elders had better live with regularity, independence, social participation, and settled mind.The study also shows that the single-dwelling elders do not live in poverty, sickness, carelessness, weirdness, isolation, untidiness, and dirtiness. Even with a different density, they have their own social network to support them so as not to be alone and helpless. Most of them ignore the hardship and the problems of life. Moreover, they are released from the traditional extended family, and live with a positive and grateful attitude and keep away from the image of stereotype. Finally, this study offers several suggestions to the government, single-dwelling elders, and future single-dwelling elders, hoping that they will help to create a brighter future for our society