在近幾年來，臺灣地區的人口老化問題愈來愈嚴重，自1993 年起已達世界衛生組織所定義的高齡化社會，其中，嘉義縣的老人人口比率僅次於澎湖縣，是全國第二，全島最高。而隨著人口的老化比率增高，伴隨而來的老人照顧問題是不容忽視的。在老人照顧方面，除了修訂老人福利法等相關措施外，還有行政院推出的「六星計畫-社區關懷照顧據點計畫」及縣府提出的老人日間照顧、社區自主提案的老人照顧等，提供除機構式照顧外的另一照顧模式，希望能給予老人最大的快樂、尊嚴達到成功老化之境。但是對於老人社區照顧或在地老化為方針的政策，不管是「社區」照顧或「在地」老化中所指的「社區」或「在地」的涵義，應該回歸到人們所依存的「生活世界」裡的意義空間，才能了解老人意義中的「所在」，也才能深刻了解對於「生活世界」中的「所在」對老人照顧意涵，否則將只落於法令或政策的推行，而無法達成老人照顧的真意。本研究以灣南的歷史脈絡之相關聚落資料開始，再探討此脈絡下以深度訪談、參與式觀察方式，了解老人們的「所在」，再分析以老人「所在」為範圍的自主、快樂、尊嚴之老人社區照顧－灣南社區長青康樂營，並與中央所推行「六星計畫-社區關懷照顧據點計畫」及縣府提出的老人日間照顧三種不同模式的社區照顧比較，期能提供現今的老人照顧方式一個再思考方向。 The aging population problem in Taiwan is getting more and more serious for the past few years and Taiwan became an aging society defined by the World Health Organization in 1993. The rate of elder people in Chiayi County is the second highest around the island, next to that in Penghu County only. The elder care problems brought by an increasing rate of aging population can’t be ignored. In addition to amending the Senior Citizens’ Welfare Act, the Six-Star Project ~ Community Care Plan promoted by Executive Yuan and day care centers and community spontaneity proposals presented by county governments for elder care provide another model of caring for old people besides organizational care with a view to offering the greatest happiness and highest dignity to senior citizens. However, policies based on caring for communities of elder people or aging in place should resort to the meaning of life world that people depend upon when it comes to the significance of ‘community’ in community care or ‘in place’ in aging in place. Accordingly, the locality perceived by the elders can be understood and the significance of the place in life world to elder care can be fully grasped; otherwise, only the act or policy is implemented instead of realizing the true meaning of elder care. This study starts with the villages related to the history of Wannan and then explores the location perceived by the old people through in-depth interviews and participatory observations. Wannan Community Leisure Center for Senior Citizens, the place where the elders can find their independence, happiness and dignity is further analyzed. Finally, a comparison among the community leisure center, the Six-Star Project ~ Community Care Plan promoted by the central government and day care centers for old people presented by the county government is made to provide a direction of rethinking the ways of elder care currently.
