北欧の野外博物館における認知症高齢者と介護者を対象とした回想法事業の特徴 : 生涯学習の観点からみた我が国への示唆

本稿は，北欧（本稿ではスウェーデン及びデンマーク）の野外博物館における認知症高齢者及び介護者を主たる対象とした回想法事業の特徴について，現地調査を通じて明らかにすることにより，我が国への示唆を得ることを目的とする。緩やかに高齢化が進む同地では，野外博物館の潜在能力を活かし，管轄自治体の福祉関係部署や大学と連携したきめ細やかな回想法事業が展開されている。北欧の野外博物館における当該事業の特徴として，①博物館の社会的役割の重視，②（認知症者のみでなく）介護者を含めた参加者全員に対する教育的視点の存在，③包括的環境の演出，④高齢者にとっての自伝的記憶の数が10 代後半から20 代前半に集中する現象（バンプ）の活用，⑤医療関係者との対等な協力関係の存在等が判明した。今後は北欧の事例も視野に入れながら，我が国独自の状況を踏まえ，認知症当事者及び関わりのあるすべての人々を対象にした教育的側面からの貢献について，さらなる追究が望まれる。

This study intends to clarify some distinctive features of reminiscence programmes which have been principally conducted for older adults with dementia and their carers, in open-air museums in Scandinavian countries: Jämtli in Sweden and Den Gamle By in Denmark. Interviews and participant observations were conducted by the author through site visits in July 2017, while looking at the programmes from a lifelong learning perspective. Compared to Japan, Scandinavian countries offer a wide variety of educational programmes and activities in their open-air museums, not only for ordinary citizens of all ages, but also for those who have special needs. The current reminiscence programmes for those with dementia and their carers have been treated as one of these latter programmes. Even though the population has been gradually aging in both Scandinavian nations, the rate has been relatively slow and the proportion of those with dementia in society are much lower. As a result, programmes in both Scandinavian countries have tended to be extremely detailed, with attentive care paid to each of the individuals with dementia in the form of sufficient financial aids, the launch of full-scale efforts to maximize the potential of resources at both open-air museums, as well as the individualization of programmes in accordance with the backgrounds of participants. It is clear that these Nordic reminiscence programmes attach particular importance to: the social role of the museum; the inclusion of all participants as lifelong learners, including carers, through an educational approach; the creation of a holistic environment through the use of ample resources across the whole site of each open-air museum; the effective use of the ‘reminiscence bump’; and the development of a 50-50 relationship between those in the medicine and welfare sectors, and those in educational sector. It would be difficult to adapt this model immediately to the Japanese context given that the nation has been facing a sharp increase in those with dementia, together with a dire financial situation and a shortfall of workers in most public museums. However, in light of the current needs of Japanese society, more profound research should be explored to clarify the ways in which the educational sector could, from its own perspective, contribute practically to the variety of stakeholders involved with dementia.