재가노인지원서비스 사회복지사의 무연고 독거노인 돌봄 체계 전환 업무 경험에 대한 질적 사례연구

Abstract

This study aims to explore ways to change the care system so that unrelated elderly people can be represented when they need to be admitted to nursing homes or nursing hospitals, to the extent that their self-determination is respected and supported as much as possible. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with five participants who had experience in care transition for unrelated elderly living alone among social workers providing services affiliated with senior welfare centers, and analyzed using Yin’s (2009) case study data analysis method. Through this, we derived five constructs as a result of the study, including “unfortunate situation of the elderly,” “work dilemma,” “little institutional and organizational support,” “saving the elderly living alone without ointment,” and “desire,” and further established 12 subconstructs and 48 semantic units. From this research, we recommend the following policies. First, social workers and local governments in charge of providing in-home elderly support services should be authorized to represent unrelated elderly people living alone. Second, the number of people eligible for public guardianship for dementia should be expanded and the application process should be simplified.