摘要 隨著人口老化趨勢的快速化，老人之長期照護需求也日益增加。因為社會變遷的種種現象，家庭照護已面臨困境，使得家中老人有長期照護需求時，家屬必須考慮將老人安置於長期照護機構。然而親情衝突以及負面文化標籤的考量，使得家人在面臨決定將老人安置於長期照護機構時，充滿了矛盾與煎熬。本研究的目的即在探討家屬安置老人於長期照護機構的經驗。 本研究採取質性研究設計，以深度訪談法進行資料的收集。研究個案來源為台中縣市四家私人立案護理之家老年住民的家屬，採立意取樣，共訪得10位家屬，訪談後，依據訪談錄音之逐字稿做質性資料分析。分析後的研究結果分為兩個部份，共六個類別，每個類別底下有數個編碼來作陳述： 一、入長期照護機構前：因為在入機構前，許多個案是採取家庭照護，個案描述下的家庭照護，呈現了「盡己所能的家庭照護」以及「時代轉換中的家庭照護」，而「煎熬的決策過程」以及「矛盾的決定」則說明了個案在面臨此抉擇的掙扎與猶豫。 二、入住長期照護機構後：將老人安置於長期照護機構後，並不代表照顧工作及責任的結束，而是另一段新生活的開展。個案描述中的新生活，內心仍是「百感交集」的「積極面對老人在機構的生活」。 本研究的結果，有助於護理人員對家屬在安置老人入住機構經驗之瞭解，基於此種瞭解，而能提供家屬情緒上的支持，以及實質的協助，以維持其家庭系統的持續性，而此種涵括家庭的全人照護模式，能鼓勵家屬對機構照護的參與，進而提昇照護品質。除此，此研究的結果，亦能做為相關研究建構的參考。; Abstract As an aging population quickly increases, the demands of long-term geriatric care are also growing enormously. Because of the shift in modern society, family members face the dilemma in providing long-term care for their elders. Therefore, institutionalization becomes a compelling alternative. However, there is negative public image of nursing home in Chinese culture, family members are ambivalent and struggling at making the decision of sending the elderly to nursing home. The purpose of this study was to explore family experiences of placing the elderly in the long-term care facilities. This qualitative study adopted purposive sampling. In-depth interviews were used to collect data from 10 relatives of the elderly living in the nursing homes in Taichung. Following the interview, recorded data were transcribed verbatim for data analysis. The results showed two parts; each part has 2-3 themes: 1. Before the institutionalization: This part includes 4 themes, which are endeavor to maintain family care, the transitional family care, struggle in the decision making process and the ambivalent decision. 2. After the institutionalization: There are 2 themes in this part, which includes emotional turmoil, and actively facing a new life. The findings of this study can help the nursing staff to understand the family experience of placing the elderly in the nursing home. Then based on this understanding, they can provide emotional support and substantive help to their clients’ maintain the continuity of the family system. This holistic care model will be able to encourage family members more involvement in nursing care to improve the quality of elderly care. In addition, the finding can provide some points of reference for future research.
