老人安養機構在台灣社會已形成多元且蓬勃的發展，宗教型的社會福利服務單位，亦參與老人安養的服務。財團法人佛光山慈悲社會福利基金會於1995年亦投入「高雄市老人公寓」的服務。研究者希望透過本研究，記錄高雄市老人公寓曾經走過的歷史；同時探討財團法人佛光山慈悲社會福利基金會，如何融入人間佛教的精神理念於高雄市老人公寓的經營，及其如何達到預期的經營成效；並且期望藉由此個案研究了解台灣老人機構未來的其他營運可能性。 透過參與觀察、資料回顧分析，加以老人社會學相關理論，梳理高雄市老人公寓之設立歷程與關注納入人間佛教教義的「自覺」、「自愛」、「尊重」、「包容」為核心的經營理念，確實能夠維護老人尊嚴與生命意義的開展。根據研究結果，發現政府與民間之資源結合可以展現一加一大於二的效果，再者「自覺」、「自愛」、「尊重」、「包容」之理念，雖難以量化，卻是機構經營之關鍵所在，然老人公寓未能提供連續性照顧，成了經營上的難題。高雄市老人公寓的經營理念與經驗，亦可提供相關機構在經營管理之參考。 Senior home care organizations have been on the rise - flourishing in Taiwan and have become a social welfare to most religious associations to participate in this caring service. Since 1995 Fo Guang Shan Compassion Foundation has joined Kaoshiung Senior Citizen's Apartment to provide caring service to senior citizens. Research work has been established to mileage the history of Kaoshiung Senior Citizen's Apartment. Simultaneously there were ongoing discussions about Fo Guang Shan Compassion Foundation on the amalgamation of Humanistic Buddhism within the Senior Citizen's Apartment and its effectiveness. Additionally from this research, we hope to fathom the management of the Senior Citizen's Apartment in the near future.Further insights and analysis from social gerontology; retrospective to the objective of Humanistic Buddhism's, the best approach to manage Senior Citizen's Apartment should be developed within these 4 areas - (1) Self-Conscious, (2) Self-Value, (3) Respect and (4) Tolerant so as to allow the elders in leading a meaningful life with dignity. Results from research revealed that government and civil resources can be better deployed to achieve greater effects. The concept of (1) Self-Conscious, (2) Self-Value, (3) Respect and (4) Tolerant may not enumerate instantaneously. Nevertheless it is the key factors for the Senior Citizen's Apartment to be managed more effectively with less complexity. Kaoshiung Senior Citizen's Apartment operational management can then be cross reference to other organizations.
