宜蘭縣退休中老年人社區參與歷程分析

An exploration on the community participation process of the elderly in Yi-Lan area of Taiwan

本研究運用紮根理論研究法，以開放式訪談大綱，分析宜蘭地區高度涉入社區活動之退休中老年人的社區參與歷程。採理論抽樣八位宜蘭地區年齡介於56－76歲之高度社區參與者參與研究，錄音紀錄及持續比較分析原則直至理論飽和並架構概念性理論為止。研究發現，受訪者因外在「機緣」及內在「延續生命經驗」的動力驅使下，自主性選擇適合自己的社區參與領域（『場域抉擇』），成為帶領他們跨入積極性社區參與的第一步。而『實踐老年生命意義』則是在受訪者整個高度且積極參與社區活動的過程中，持續存在的核心概念主軸。受訪者為了實踐「安排退休舞台」、「回饋社會」、「社會互動」、及「維持身心健康」等『核心生命意義』，而願意持續參與社區組織並積極投入活動。受訪者均具備有「有心肯投入」，「踏實不計較」，「具有堅持的精神」、「嘗試的勇氣」以及「生活的智慧」等『內在動力』特質，使其得以在社區團體之中『展現個人力量』，如運用個人人脈，張羅設備經費，發揮執行力等。受訪者不僅靠著其『內在動力特質』與『展現個人力量』兩者相輔相成，踏實地實踐了自己的核心生命意義，更因著「受人肯定」、「自我提升」、「自我實現」以及「意外收穫」等不斷構築『生命意義』，並『累積生命重量』，此一過程重複不斷輪轉，越發強化其老年的生命意義感，此也是一種賦權的過程。然而有些因素是決定受訪者是否完成此一賦權歷程的關鍵因素，例如「個人」的價值認同、作息時間與能力改變；以及政策的支持或限制、團體成員之間的支持或衝突等「外在因素」，都可能是影響社區參與歷程的一體兩面：喪失助力可能變成阻力，阻力改善，也可變成參與的助力，兩者只有一線之隔。根據本研究結果，中老年參與社區的過程是實踐老年生命意義的過程。安排退休舞台、維持身心健康、社會互動、回饋社會是受訪者高度社區參與的核心生命意義。因此，建議社區工作者若發現社區中老年人有上述四項需要時，可依老人生命經驗內涵介入合適的“社區參與”措施，同時，也可以此四項作為激發老人意識覺醒的策略，吸引老人積極參與社區活動。如此可以協助社區中長者能夠實踐其老年生命意義，提升老人的生活品質，並落實成功老化的老年生活。

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a described theory about community participation process of the retired elderly in Yi-Lan area. Eight participants who were over 55 years old and participated in community activity group more than one year were included in this study by theoretical sampling procedure. In-depth face-to face interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Those data were analyzed by ground theory method. The results formed a descriptive model of community participation process for the elderly. Three categories were emerged in this model: field selection, presenting the meanings of life, impact factors. The model began at the fields selection'stage, which receiving the community activity information, then chose suitable activities to join with, by considering their past life experiences. In the stage of ' presenting the meanings of life,' participants' 'inner power' and 'power performance' strengthened their four core purposes of aging life: 'arranging entire life', 'feedback the society', 'social interaction', and 'keep healthy'. Finally, participants 'accumulating their weights of life ' through 'approved by others', 'self growth', 'self actualization', and 'unexpected benefits.' In this process, participants were empowered to positively present their meanings of life. Whether the participants could keep highly involved in the community activities were determined by 'impact factors, 'such as 'internal factors' and 'external factors.' The findings provide community workers a deeper understanding about the mechanism of how an elder highly involved into their living communities.