初探在地老化實踐因素－以台東糖廠光明社區為討論主體

Abstract

「高齡化」與「少子化」成為台灣近年社會關注之議題，本研究針對此兩大社會現象所帶來之高齡者照顧與照護問題作為探討，並且特別關注於因為教育或工作機會，年輕一代族群多選擇都市移居，進而造成高齡父母獨留家鄉的台灣非都會地區；再加上時代的變遷，此世代之父母不再認為與子女同住為最佳之老後生活選擇，因此非都會地區高齡者選擇留在原居住地度過老齡生活將逐漸成為未來社會態勢。 本研究從「在地老化」概念出發，以台東糖廠光明社區作為研究對象，並以其「職住型社區」之特殊背景作為考量，針對光明社區高齡者之生活環境、日常活動及居住樣態來探討在地老化實踐之可能因素；並由研究分析得出三大重點：一、透過實質環境設定，有助形塑出珍貴之非正式支持網絡以及具在地情感連結之社會環境；二、在地資源可朝向「多元」、「共享」和「微調」之應用模式發展，有助於建構俱全之在地老化生活需求；三、降低高齡者在地老化期望與真實執行之落差，可從強化社區功能開始。 此外社會政策之制定，應考量後續所產生之社會價值的影響，政策不僅要創造「眾人的福利」，更需要關心到「全民的福祉」；而以社區規劃角度反思在地老化之概念，其背後應思考：如何建立一個在不同生命週期皆有容受力的社區？如此才能真正達成生活環境及在地資源之永續發展。

In recent years, “aging population” and “low fertility” have become the issue of concern in Taiwan. This research discusses the two social phenomena of caring and nursing for elderly people, with special focus on Taiwan’s non-metropolitan areas where only elderly people remain because most of their next generations have moved to metropolitan areas to pursue opportunities of education or career. On the other hand, as time goes by, many parents no longer consider living with their own children to be the best choice while growing old. Hence the elderly people who choose to live in their original place till the end of the life will become the trend in the future. This research starts from the concept of “aging in place” and the field study was conducted on Tai-tung Sugar Factory Kuang-ming Community. In addition, based on the special background of “work/live community”, this study investigates the implementing factors of “aging in place” by living environment, daily activities and living patterns of elderly people in Kuang-ming Community. The results of this study shows three key points：1. The physical environmental setting is helpful to establish a precious informal support network and the social environment which is tightly linked with local sentiments. 2. Developing local resources in “multi-function”, “sharing” and “fine-tuning” ways are beneficial to complete the requirements for aged life. 3. To strengthen the functions of community could reduce the disparity between expectations and executions of “aging in place” of the elderly people. Furthermore, the making of social policies should think about the influences of social values. They not only create the “common interests”, but also concern about the “universal welfare”. From the point of view of community planning, the meaning of “aging in place” goes along with another issue－how to establish a community having enough tolerance in any period of life cycle? This could achieve sustainable development of living environment and local resources.