| Summary: | 碩士 === 南華大學 === 非營利事業管理研究所 === 98 === Modern medicine and higher quality of life extend people''s life. Accordingly, the mentally retarded have more chance use the social welfare resources in their elderly stages. Unfortunately, they are not supported well by recent policy making and regulations of long-term care. The mentally retarded elderly have difficulties due to their innate disabilities and degenerate physical functions. Institutional care services need to cater to the challenge.
This study focuses on a specific social welfare organization and involves review of documents, participant observation, and in-depth interview on the mentally retarded elderly. The analysis has two sides incorporated: their family care burden, particular needs, as well as the demand-supply situation of the institutional care providers and the real difficulties.
A variety of family care burdens are identified. Qualitative interview results indicate triple factors of care burden (physical, psychological, and social pressures). Economic impact on the mentally retarded elderly families calls for assistances from institutional care providers, especially in three aspects-economic security, medical and health care, and social support.
The gap between demand and supply of care service are explored from the point of view of institutional care service provider. It is found that the mentally retarded elderly need daily and health/therapy care, as well as leisure participation mostly. However, the needs are not fully supported by current law policies and not satisfied in the allocation of social welfare resources. Service providers have a common voice that current welfare system in Taiwan has divided two systems under which to deliver service to people with disabilities and the elderly. The care transition service of mentally retarded elderly would not function well. Experts and staff shortages are found in the institutional provider. Unsecured financial conditions further impede the work. In addition, low participation by the family members has a certain impact on the institutional care.
Care for the mentally retarded elderly--as a whole set of issues-demands the attention of the government. It also calls for a social welfare alignment between the public and the private sectors so as to relief the difficulties faced by institutional care service providers. This research has based on the conclusion above and provided some suggestions for reference in every aspect of policies, practical workers and families.
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