【論文摘要】An Investigation on the Problems Encountered After the Subsidy of Transfer Aids Granted by the County Government in Family Caregivers: Using New Taipei City as an Example

Abstract

Background and Purpose: With the aging of the global population, musculoskeletal symptoms of caregivers are getting more attention in the advanced countries. Previous studies found transfer aids (TA) are benefit for family caregivers (FC) and healthcare workers. While most of senior citizens live with their families in Taiwan, the needs of using TA by FC are expected. However, few FC used TA even after being assessed by the assistive technology professionals (ATP) and then granted subsidy to buy by the county government. The purpose of the study was to investigate the problems of buying and/or using TA encountered after the subsidy of TA granted by the county government in FC. Methods: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. A total of 167 FC for persons with disabilities who were granted the subsidy of TA by New Taipei City government in year of 2016 were recruited. These participants were telephone interviewed between October 2017 and February 2018 on the problems of buying and/or using TA encountered after receiving the approval of their applications on subsidies of TA. The subjects were grouped based on the condition of using TA and their reasons associated with were collected. Descriptive statistics and analyses for group comparison were used. Results: The subjects were grouped into three major groups, including group A-using subsidy and still using TA (n = 44, 26.3%), group B-using subsidy but abandoning the use of TA (n = 59, 35.3%), and group C-not using subsidy and TA (n = 47, 28.1%). Among group A, there were 38 FC (86.4%) and 31 FC (70.5%) considered TA being exertion-saving and safe, respectively. Among group B, a variety of reasons associated with abandoning the use of TA were reported, such as opinions on time consuming of using TA in 14 FC (23.7%) and other attitudes factors of using TA in 21 FC (35.6%). Among group C, there were also a variety of reasons associated with not using subsidy and TA, including opinions on unnecessary to use TA in 14 FC (29.8%) and other attitudes factors of using TA in 21 FC (44.7%). It showed that compared with group A, individuals in group B performed care for shorter period of time (p = 0.010) and had higher percentage to hire foreign caregivers (p = 0.006) and use inappropriate wheelchairs/chairs which were unfavorable in the transfer path (activities) (p = 0.035). Compared with group A, higher percentage of people in group C tended to hire foreign caregivers (p = 0.001) and use inappropriate wheelchairs/chairs which were unfavorable in the transfer path (p = 0.018). Conclusion: A variety of FC's problems of buying and/or using TA encountered after the subsidy of TA granted by the county government were identified. Clinical Relevance: This study supported the importance of providing services to persons with disabilities by ATP before and after the subsidy of TA were granted in Taiwan.