臺灣老人老化經驗之性別差異

Gender Difference in the Aging Experience of among Aging in Taiwan'sOlder People

個人對老化的經驗具有獨特的意義，會影響到他們對老年生活的調適。雖然有文獻探討老化經驗，但是卻很少討論老化經驗是否有性別上的差異。因此本研究採用Husserl的現象學，描述本土不同性別老人老化的經驗感受。以面對面訪談方式，取得老人的經驗感受，依Giorgi現象學描述性分析法進行資料分析。十位男性老人呈現四個老化經驗：(一)女伴：期望異性伴侶為伴，以滿足生活照顧及感情之需求；(二)老本：保住老本，確保晚年經濟無憂；(三)老健：意識到身體健康的重要性，積極投入生活保健及運動；(四)責任界線：對子女的的責任止於養育長大成人。八位女性老人呈現四個老化經驗：(一)同伴：經由學習和社交活動的參與來擴展自我；(二)“展”：老人對自己生命中得意的事物，一再重複與他人分享，肯定自己目前存在的價值；（三）老而不健：身體的失能與功能的衰退是關注的焦點，而常提及他們的健康問題；（四）無止盡的責任：女性老人會想到身負的家族香火延續責任，因此子女婚姻是否完成，成了老人心頭重擔。本研究發現可提供健康專業人員依據老人性別差異而設計個別性照護的指引。

The experience of aging has unique meanings for individuals that have effects in their coping with later lives. The experience of aging has been explored in literature. However , little is discussed about the gender difference of aging experience. The purpose of this study was to describe gender difference in the lived experience of aging from the perspectives of Taiwan's older people using the Husserl's phenomenology. The participants were interviewed face-to-face and data were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological descriptive methodology. Four themes emerged from the 10 older men: (1)Female partner: The older men expected to have a female companion to satisfy the needs of living and give affectionate support. (2)Financial security: Older men have been saving up money to ensure financial security for their later lives. (3)Being old, but healthy: Most of the older men were aware of the importance of health and thus were involved in health maintenance and exercise and (4)Obligation boundary: The obligation to nurturing children ended at the time their children became adults. Another four themes emerged from the 8 older women: (1)Companions: The older women expanded their lives by learning and participating in social activities. (2)Showing off: The older women repeatedly shared successful or satisfying experience with others in order to affirm their own achievements. (3)Being old, but unhealthy: The older women were concerned with the decrease of their physical functioning, and thus companied of their health problems. (4)Endless obligation: Seeing their children married is a life mission of older women. Thus, the marriage of their adult children was a big concern. The finding of this research provides guidance fore health professionals to design gender-specific and individualized care for older persons.