Liaison Academia discussion report (by Y. Sugiyama)
Liaison Academia discussion report (by Y. Sugiyama)
February 16, 2008
＜beginning＞ 〜Kaori Yamada〜
Wishing to develop various team care service for the elderly for their
happy and resourceful daily living, I, with esteemed specialists, have
developed Liaison Academia. Recently, I was told by the community volunteer lady who helped grocery
shopping with the neighbor elderly that, elderly women just shopped not
what she wants, but all many items that her son likes to eat! ...For rewarding
to such elderly people who have raised children all the way just putting
her wishes away so long, LiA shall challenge to develop several social
/ family support service in the process of caring for elderly members
around.
＜Dr. Priscilla ＞
I feel so delighted to attend this grand meeting today here in Nagoya.
I anticipate hearing many voices from various work/background. It was about
1 year ago that Kaori brought an idea of developing this group. I look
forward to working with Liaison Academia members to do good to the elderly and aging society both in the U.S and
Japan. .
We may not necessarily find certain solutions here today, yet shall continue
to work toward the same objective.
I especially would like to think about what we can do for not hospitalized
elderly, but those who live in the community around us.
In the U.S,. from nutritional perspective, ‘meal on wheels’service is available for the elderly. Currently, meal service for the elderly is just a delivery, yet what is needed there is communication with the elderly in easy/flexible terms. Elderly wants to talk about what they suffer and what they need. I learned that good service example in Denmark, where social welfare system has been so well developped, that is--elderly who were institutionalized in one care center for some health care treatment, if the elderly wish to return home after the treatment, 5 designated team specialists---nutrition, nursing, social worker, spiritual mentor, and dayly living service person and so on--as one sevice team, would provide needed care in his/her independent living at home. Of course, if the person would not like going back home, that is perfectly fine. --This way, we shall learn from what we hear, from what we find, and
from what we see., and develop ideas of what we can do better.
As one suggestion, through cooperation with welfare association in the
community, we may survey what over 65 years old people want in their community,
so that we will learn what to focus to develop better elderly care service
at home. After the hospitalizaiton, what is needed to make elderly live
just independently at home as long as they wish. Idea orientation together
for better elderly care shall be wonderfully creative.
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＜from one participants＞
I work for elderly care institution in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture.
In person, I have come along, wishing if my ideas can be of any help.
At present, in elder care institution that I work for, we have been challenging
how to inspire volunteer people's potential incentives, how to apply elderly's
life story into their daily living activities, and with therapeutic reminiscence,
how to assess to each one's life in itself, and so on.
What we have considered very important these days is assessing viewpoint
toward elderly.
For example, when over age 80, usually people may be regarded as somewhat
demented, --is this good or evil? how to assess to this physiological
deterioration could affect "heartwarming comfort" in the care
of the aged. --Average age 30 working staff, how would they think of this,
---managed assessment from such aspect is very important.
In the institution where I work, there is a motto of "no guest restriction".
For, we would like to have an idea of caring each elderly with respect,
regarding them as big mentors of life experience. It is very important
to absorb wisdom from the elderly / experienced elderly care staffs and
develop structure of care planning.
