The Effects of Person-to-Person and Person-to-Community Ties on Mental and Physical Health

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  • Iwagaki Takahiro
    Advanced Research Center for Human Sciences, Waseda University Waseda Institute of Medical Anthropology on Disaster Reconstruction
  • Tsujiuchi Takuya
    Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University Waseda Institute of Medical Anthropology on Disaster Reconstruction

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  • ｢人と人｣・｢人と社会｣ のつながりが心身の健康に与える影響
  • 「 ヒト ト ヒト 」 ・ 「 ヒト ト シャカイ 」 ノ ツナガリ ガ シンシン ノ ケンコウ ニ アタエル エイキョウ

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Abstract

<p>With the revision of Japan’s Long-Term Care Insurance Act in 2015, the government built community-based comprehensive care systems. It relies on reciprocity among local residents to provide some of the assistance the elderly need to avoid having to be moved into care facilities. Facilities providing support services have been required to arrange for places of social activities to be held and to create roles for elderly residents in the hope of increasing their participation in the community.</p><p>The person-to-person and person-to-community ties that created during these types of activities involving reciprocity among local residents can be understood as the concept of social capital (SC). SC is based on trust, shared norms, and networking. We have already shown in a study of the association between elderly people’s mental health and SC that people with deep relationships of trust with others, many friends, and those who participate in community activities are psychologically healthier.</p><p>In this study, we use SC to discuss the effects of person-to-person and person-to-community ties on mental and physical health based on contrasts between the cases of A and B, whom we encountered while working at a community-based comprehensive support center. They lived in the same community, but case A had no contact with any local organizations and refusing public assistance, ended up isolated and dying alone. In contrast, case B lived independently, had ties to the community and to volunteers, participated in a variety of activities, had a role in the community, and something to live for. These two contrasting cases are used to illustrate topics related to social services for the elderly in Japan and what our future objectives should be. In addition, we use the example of “Daredemo Shokudou” (“Everyone’s Diner” events held by local organizations that provide an inexpensive meal and activities for community members) to show the importance of providing independent living assistance for the elderly so that they may create ties with the community and build relationships of trust through community-based activities.</p>

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