| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 行政管理碩士學程 === 97 === The 21st century is a time of economic prosperity and technological advancement. However, the world is facing challenges from the problems of the rapidly aging population, increasing longevity, the surging of chronic disease, in addition to epidemics and flues spreading faster then before. Most hospital beds in Taiwan are considered to be “acute hospital beds”, where vegetative patients are considered by the National Health Insurance to be suffering from a chronic disease and not as major illness/injury. There is no extra medical subsidy for these vegetative patients, and only limited payments for home care. Unfortunately, due to the inefficient funding for health insurance, we are concerned that medical resources might become exhausted in the future. Also, a vegetated patient is required to leave the hospital whenever his or her condition becomes stable. They are unable to remain in the hospital for long-term and professional care, which causes the families with vegetated patients to suffer emotionally and economically. Thus, studying ways for vegetated patients to obtain more professional, human, and dignified care is an important issue worthy of research.
This study uses an in-depth interview method from quantitative research. 12 families with vegetative patients in Taipei County are the subjects of the interview. In-depth discussions are conducted on the difficulties for families who take care of a vegetative patient, and who have employment in the urban area. The information obtained was categorized and analyzed.
1. Nursing manpower insufficiency
Due to the shifting of family structure in the urban area, there are not enough people in the family to take care of the vegetated patient. It is not possible to predict when a medical breakthrough will enable the patient to regain consciousness. Moreover, there is only a slight chance a vegetated patient suffering from head trauma for a long period of time can be revived again.
2. Dependence on foreign nurse aides
By hiring foreign nurse aids, the dual-earner families in the Taipei metro area are able to get relief from the burden of caring for a vegetative patient. However, it is not a long-term solution.
3. The need for long-term care.
Therefore, it is very important to construct a long-term care system for the vegetated patient to be able to receive quality medical care. Furthermore, Taiwan will benefit from showing respect for life, the importance of social care, and the value of helping each other.
4. Trying new concepts.
Perhaps in the foreseeable future, we will accept things such as euthanasia or pre-paid medical contracts due to the changes in education and social attitudes. We might accept that one of our family members might be facing long-term care in the future, so any one of us is able to make arrangements before an unforeseen accident or illness results in becoming a vegetated patient.
5. Co-operation between the government and the people.
This is an important issue for the method of constructing a long-lasting system that can combine medicine, labor, social welfare, and benefits for senior citizens and vegetated patients. However, it will take the cooperation of both government and the people to make Taiwan into a peaceful land that will respect their elders and respect life.
Some suggestions have been developed as a result of this study: 1. suggestions to families: a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and strengthen the unity between family members. 2. suggestions to the medical team: develop hospital websites, prevent diseases that can cause vegetation, and the social worker consulting team should help families to implement a long-term community care system. 3. Suggestions to schools: add life and death lessons into the school’s curriculum, reinforce the concept of health education and a basic caring method, as well as increase community service, and teach methods for relieving stress. 4. Suggestions to the government: linking information by using a single window to handle all processes, use colloquial language for promoting policies, the policies should first be implemented in off-shore islands before being used in the main island, implement a long-term care system, and provide subsidies to those who hire domestic nurse aids.
Keyword： National Health Insurance, Vegetative, Long-Term care,
Home care, Euthanasia, Pre-paid medical contract
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