探討喪偶老年婦女之孤寂感因應歷程

An Exploration of the Process of Coping with Loneliness in Elderly Widows

背景：女性平均餘命延長，老年婦女喪偶的普遍性已逐漸形成。在面臨多重失落之下，回歸社區後若沒有足夠的支持，將導致喪偶老年婦女產生孤寂感受、遭受孤立、及影響對生命意義之看法。目的：探討喪偶老年婦女之孤寂感因應歷程。方法：採質性研究法，以深度訪談收集資料，針對台灣中部地區某社區之喪偶老年婦女做為研究對象。研究期間自2008年10月至2009年05月以滾雪球方法進行，共收案9位老年喪偶婦女。根據Colaizzi(1978)內容分析法進行資料分析。結果：喪偶老年婦女孤寂感之因應歷程的三個主要主題，包括「掙脫孤寂枷鎖，解放內心出口」、「危機與轉機間震盪」、「持續修復」。結論：增進對喪偶老年婦女孤寂感之了解，並得知個案能藉由自我調適與自我管理中，掙脫孤寂。盼能提供社區護理人員洞悉喪偶老年婦女孤寂感之因應，藉由提供老年婦女健康相關照護，協助喪偶老年婦女回復規律生活。

Background: The elderly population is increasing dramatically. Because the female's life expectancy is longer than the male's, the number of elderly widows is increasing disproportionally. These women are confronted by multiple losses, suffer isolation, question the meaning of life, and need support. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the experience of loneliness and the coping processes of elderly widows. Methods: This was a qualitative study. Data were collected from October 2008 to May 2009 through in-depth interviews. A sample of 9 elderly widows who lived in a community in central Taiwan was recruited. Data were analyzed based on Colaizzi's methodology (1978). Results: The elderly widows' experiences of loneliness and their coping processes were categorized into three stages: dealing with the loss of the relationship, alternating between crisis and acceptance, and recovery. Conclusion: This study provides essential information to community nurses involved in the care of elderly widows so that these women can overcome loneliness through self-adjustment and selfmanagement and return to regular lives.