Journal of Community & Public Health Nursing
Open Access

Abstract

Aim: The author has organized “The Awata kenko machizukuri kai” (the Awata Health and Community Development Association ) with a neighborhood self-governing association, which is a local resident organization of Awata school district, the Community Senior’s Association, “Josei-Kai ” (the Community Women’s Association), local elderly care management center, which is the organization entrusted by the public administration and preventive care promotion center and conducted a program to breed the social capital. In this study, the author aimed to verify the effects of social capital in the super-aging society. Methods: Awata school district is located in Ward B, where proportion of elderly is highest in Kyoto city. The number of elderly who are 65 years old or older is 1,139 (31.4%). An inventory survey was conducted for 2,015 residents who were 40 years old or older of Awata school district in January 2018. Results: Responses were obtained from 427 subjects (collection 21.1%). The number of subjects who were 40 years or older was 418 (253 females (60.2%), 165 males (39.3%)) and that of subjects who were 65 years or older 291 (69.3%). Positive correlation with life satisfaction (LSIK) was seen in frequency of going out, economic capacity, depth of association with neighbors, community feeling, feeling of subjective health and life habit and negative correlation with it was seen in loneliness (J-UCLA) and depression (GDS). The subjects were divided into two groups, subjects who participated in “The Awata kenko machizukuri kai” and those who did not. It has been found that life satisfaction is significantly higher in participation group than in nonparticipation group. Conclusion: Kyoto city is a local community where a number of festivals have been inherited. However, acceleration of aging may influence well-being of the residents while it makes execution of the events difficult, which weakens the association of the local residents, the author presume. The practice of “The Awata kenko machizukuri kai” suggests a model as a concrete practice example of regional comprehensive care system by residents’ participation.

Biography

Akiko Hoshino is working as professor at Kyoto University, Japan

E-mail: ahoshino@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp