臺灣中部地區老人安養機構生活飲食系統調查評估研究

Nursery Institutions for the Elderly in Central Taiwan

高齡化社會的來臨，加上婦女就業率的提高，使得留家照顧老人的人力逐漸減少，越來越多的老人在面臨居住安養問題時，有選擇入居安養機構的趨勢。本研究以安養機構的老人飲食為例，探討如何建立符合老人身心機能需求的飲食系統基準。首先，選取台灣中部地區的安養機構20 家，以參與式的觀察法，一面觀察機構的飲食環境，設備，與用具，同時也利用拍照與攝影的方法，將老人飲食過程中遭遇的困境紀錄下來，以進行問題點的討論與分析。接著，將不易藉由觀察獲得答案的問題點，以結構式的問卷設計，針對入居機構的老人及服務員採立意取樣的方式進行訪查，並將統計結果予以討論分析。本文透過文獻相關研究資料的收集，飲食現況的調查及問卷的訪查等結果，提出機構飲食系統中以下項目的建議基準：1）用餐場地；2）飲食設備；3）飲食用具；4）飲食程序與服務；5）其他。本文的成果可提供安養機構本身及政府等監督單位對安養機構飲食系統進行評鑑及改善的參考，研究方法與調查內容也可作為學術界及實務界進一步探討，發展，或設計的基礎。

In our modern society, the elderly population is on a rapid increase. In addition, due to women's upward employment rate, the human power to take care of the elderly at home is consequently on the decrease. Therefore, as a trend, more and more elderly are choosing to move into nursery institution, instead of staying at home, to enjoy the finale of their life. This research attempts to search for the basis of how to establish a proper food-serving system in the nursery institutions so as to meet the mental and physical needs of the elderly. A total of 20 institutions located in the area of central Taiwan were selected for investigation. First of all, the dining environment, facilities, and apparatus of each institution were observed on the spot and the elderly residents were recorded with a video camera during their meal sessions. The recordings were then analyzed to identify any difficulties the elderly may encounter in the process of eating and drinking. Continually, sampled elderly and service staffers were further surveyed with a questionnaire for their opinions of the existing food-serving system. Based on the analyses of the observation and questionnaire surveys and relevant data collected from related literature, this research proposes basic standards in the following areas in food-serving systems in elderly nursery institutions: 1） dining site, 2） dining facilities, 3） dietary apparatus, 4） dietary process and services, and 5） miscellaneous. The result of this research would be useful for the nursery institutions as well as the supervising authorities in evaluating and improving the institutional dietary quality. The approaches and information gathered during the research could also be useful for further investigation, development, or design concerning food-serving systems in the elderly nursery institutions.