| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 社會工作研究所 === 102 === The caregivers in families carry a heavy responsibility, and many of them express the need for supportive services. As such, their experience in using supportive programs warrants further study and examination. In this study, we aim to first understand how such programs are being used. Next, we examine the restorative process in which caregivers use such services to gain respite.
This study used the qualitative research approach, and collected data from Taiwan Alzheimer's Disease Association and included semi-structured in-depth interviews with four caregivers of the elderly with dementia. The research findings were listed below:
1.We studied the following three supportive programs and analyzed their similarities and differences: the School of Wisdom, the Family of Wisdom, and the Family Club. (1) As the group progresses from the School of Wisdom to the Family of Wisdom, family members have more and more time to spend together and respite time; they also tend to show more care for others. (2) As the group progresses from the School of Wisdom to the Family Club, unorganized group gatherings evolve into organized gatherings for members of the group. (3) The target participants for the School, the Family and the Club are, respectively, senile seniors, seniors and their families, and families; the beneficiaries of the programs are seniors, families, and families. However, there is also an interrelation between seniors and their families: families who benefit from improved mental, physical and spiritual health are better able to care for their seniors. Vice versa, it is easier for families to care for seniors who are able to maintain or mitigate the degeneration of their daily functions.
2.The needs and motivations of families are pivotal drivers for supportive programs. Throughout the evolution from the "School" to the "Family", families and seniors go through three stages of participation in activities, namely, mahjong classes, cooking classes and hobby classes. The progress reveals the families' need for respite time and space and their levels of participation.
3.Families enjoy a restorative mental break by participating in activities. We analyzed the key elements of this mental break: leisure and rest, self-efficacy, belongingness, and level of participation. (1) Leisure and rest: display of talent, enjoyment of talking, and enhanced satisfaction toward life. (2) Self-efficacy: enhanced self-efficacy through the process of learning, breakthrough and sense of achievement. (3) Belongingness: the sense of belonging to a group. (4) Level of participation: the sense of mission to contribute to the society and meaning of life demonstrated by the families show an evolution from being the caregiver to the one who helps others.
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