Impact of Differences in Physical, Social and Psychological Factors on Nursing Care Expectations

The purpose of this study is to clarify the influence of psychological, social, and physical factors, such as health status, family relationships, living arrangements, economic status, and personality traits, on the expectation of Japanese seniors to receive nursing care. To collect data on these factors, a questionnaire survey was conducted with Japanese men and women who were not in the care home in March 2021. At that time, we also examined the change in the mental state before and after the spread of COVID-19. Based on the results of the survey, the subjects were divided into two groups, those who preferred to be cared for at home and those who preferred to be cared for outside the home, and the responses were compared. As a result of the comparison, there was a significant difference between these two groups only in the responses regarding exercise habits before and after COVID-19. In both the before and after COVID-19, the frequency of sports/exercise per week was higher for those who wanted to be cared for at home. This suggests that the physical factor of the exercise habit influences the expected to care for the elderly at home. However, there was no significant difference in the responses between the two groups regarding other factors. In this study, factors such as health status, family relationships, and financial situation were considered in attitudes towards caregiving. Still, since no significant differences were found, it is necessary to conduct a survey that considers other factors.