Abstract
BackgroundEmpowerment among older adults is a key concept for improving their health. In contrast, empowerment evolves according to cultural and historical contexts and needs to be consistently tested and constructed. The purpose of this study was to clarify the components of older adults’ empowerment in contemporary Japan and to reconstruct the definition of empowerment.MethodsA conceptual analysis was performed using Rodgers’ evolutionary method. The data sources were PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi. The search keywords were “empowerment,” “older adults,” and “Japan/Japanese.” Of the 8811 articles published between 2000 and 2019 that focused on older adults’ empowerment, we selected 60 articles that met our objectives.ResultsSeven antecedents, six attributes, and seven consequences were identified. Older adults’ empowerment in contemporary Japan was defined as “the series of processes in which disclosing oneself, not only verbally but also nonverbally (e.g., through work, roles, and collaborative activities), in connection with others, objectively perceiving one’s existence and challenges, taking proactive actions based on decision-making, and utilizing one’s strengths in new work and community life.”ConclusionsThis concept is useful in practice, education, and research on community development and providing support for older adults based on self-help and mutual aid, not only in Japan but also for the global aging society.
Highlights
Empowerment among older adults is a key concept for improving their health
Gibson defines the antecedents of empowerment as: (1) the individual is fundamentally responsible for their health, and that health belongs to the individual; (2) the individual’s capacity for growth and self-determination must be respected; (3) the conditions for empowerment include mutual respect, participation, and collaboration between the healthcare provider and the client; (4) trust is essential for the empowerment process; (5) healthcare providers must empower themselves and cannot empower others; and (6) healthcare professionals must abandon the desire to control the patient and prioritize their needs [10]
The most important feature of this study was that empowerment process of older adults in Japan is about conversation, and about non-verbal self-disclosure through work performance, roles, and group activities
Summary
Empowerment among older adults is a key concept for improving their health. In contrast, empowerment evolves according to cultural and historical contexts and needs to be consistently tested and constructed. East and Southeast Asia will experience the most rapid population aging, with the proportion of people aged 65 years and older rising from 11% to 2019 to 24% in 2050. Since 2000 (defined as modern Japan), the number of households headed by older couples and older individuals living alone has increased, posing a challenge to traditional Japanese culture where children support their parents [6]. Older adults cannot alter their traditional cultural thinking and remain isolated or dependent on public support [6]. This will inevitably lead to an increase in medical and nursing care costs and a shortage of human resources to provide care
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