2017年1月10日から2月3日までの間、高槻赤十字病院の吉田奈々子看護師が活動に取り組みました。
震災から長い時間が経つため、殆どの方が新しい地で生活する覚悟を持ち、新しい人間関係、新しい習慣を習得しながら安定した生活を送っているように見えましたがその言葉の根底には、馴染みある地域に戻れないという、変えようがなく受け止めざるを得ない現実があり、気持ちをなんとか前向きに踏ん張って生きているということがひしひしと伝わってきました。本年3月末には避難指示が解除される予定の地域の対象となる方々は、「“帰りたい”という気持ちと“帰れる”のは違う。住むことが出来ても、安心・安定した生活は送れる状態ではない。みんなで帰らないと意味がない。」と言われていました。訪問や電話調査を通して、悲惨な経験を沢山の方が多く語って下さいました。傾聴することが本事業の役割だと思い返し、“聴いている”ということが少しでも伝わり、ほんの少しでも心が軽くなる方がいたら本事業の意味が深まると感じました。まだ本当の復興には長い年数がかかることは明らかで、風化しつつある問題を忘れないようにしていきたい、周囲に伝えていきたい」と、吉田看護師は語りました。
Ms. Nanako Yoshida, a nurse from the Takatsuki Red Cross Hospital, was involved in the program from January 10, 2017 to February 3, 2017.
Since it has been a long time since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, most of the evacuees seemed to be determined to live in their new locations and it looked like they were living their lives in a stable way with new human relationships and new local customs. Many of the evacuees said: “We are sort of settled into our new location.” However, this suggested that they cannot return to their familiar land and there is no option but for them to accept this unchangeable reality. I strongly felt that they are trying to keep positive in living their current lives. At the end of March 2017, the evacuation order is expected to be lifted in some areas of Namie Town. The evacuees from the areas said: “There is a difference between hoping to return to the town and being able to live back in the town under stable conditions. We may be able to live in the town materially but we will be unable to have a secure and stable life there. It is important to return to the town with former neighbors.” During the home and telephone visits, the evacuees talked about their horrible experiences. I always came back to the original purpose of this program, which is to listen to the evacuees. During the visits, I kept in mind that this program would be more meaningful, if they could sense that I was “listening” to them during the interviews and that would help them to release their feelings as much as possible. Ms. Yoshida says: “There is still a long way to go until they have a full recovery. Therefore, I want to remember the problems that are becoming obsolete and convey the problems to other people.”