[Community Innovation and Regional Sustainability: A Case Study on an Elder Social Survey Conducted by National Cheng Kung University]

Hu Li Za Zhi. 2022 Jun;69(3):19-24. doi: 10.6224/JN.202206_69(3).04.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) promotes university social responsibility and strives to ensure that all of its teaching staff and students engage in academics in a manner that incorporates both social awareness and social practice. The NCKU team has launched a series of social practice and research projects focused on accompanying and caring for older adults who live in the community, looking to establish a social practice model that bridges university teaching and research to practical community needs. The objective of this initiative is to develop an innovative model of social support and a new model for younger generations to work with older adults living in the community. The results of this survey project show better well-being in older adults to be associated with the following sets of traits: exercising regularly and lacking dental problems; engaging in daily laughter and holding positive aging perceptions; and having a higher subjective social status, more family support, and a sense of community attachment. The study results imply that multiple factors affect well-being in the context of caring for community-dwelling older adults and social development, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Title: 社區創新與地方永續—國立成功大學高齡社會調查應用案例分享.

國立成功大學推動大學社會責任計畫致力於讓全校師生成為具有社會意識與社會實踐力的入世學術人。國立成功大學團隊開啟一系列社會實踐與高齡研究,期待建立發展大學教學研究與在地社群間的社會實踐模式,同時也嘗試發展人才培育與支援機制。本計畫之社區調查研究顯示,有運動習慣和沒有牙齒問題的高齡者有較好的幸福感;每天歡笑的老年人、有正向老化態度的老年人幸福感較佳;有較高主觀社會地位、更多家庭社會支持,以及有社區依存感的老年人亦有較高的幸福感。本計畫結果提醒在新冠疫情時期針對中高齡者社區照顧的多面向意涵及對未來社區發展之啟示。.

Keywords: place attachment; university social responsibility; well-being.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Independent Living
  • Pandemics*
  • Social Support
  • Universities