照顧者訓練方案對改善失智症照顧者照顧準備度成效之探討

The Effectiveness of a Community-based Caregiver Training Program for Improving the Caregiver's Preparedness of Elders with Dementia

本研究之研究目的是要探討照顧者訓練方案對改善社區失智症老人家屬照顧者照顧準備度之成效。採類實驗性研究設計(Quasi-experimental design)，以立意取樣方式，自台北、桃園及新竹等地區收案，共48對失智症老人及家屬參與研究。將個案採隨機分配方式，分成實驗組與對照組各24對。實驗組接受照顧者訓練方案，包括面對面個別性諮商及訓練、提供衛教手冊及電話諮詢；對照組則給予一般衛教單張，及每2星期一次的電話關懷。於訓練方案介入後的第三星期收集第一次後測資料，第三個月收集第二次後測資料。研究結果發現，實施照顧者訓練方案，能有效改善照顧者的照顧準備度。由研究結果可知，此訓練方案能應用在協助居家失智症照顧者在失智症老人之照顧尤其是問題行為之處理，未來，需進一步研究加以檢測本方案的長期效果及成本效益。

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based caregiver training program for caregivers of elders with dementia.This program was designed to improve the family caregiver's preparedness. A quasi-experimental design with purposive sampling was used in this study. The subjects were recruited from Taipei, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu areas. Forty-eight patients with dementia and their family caregivers were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=24) and a control group (n=24). The experimental group received the community-based caregiver training program, including a face-to-face individualized consultation/training, health education materials, and telephone follow-ups. The control group only received part of the health education materials and telephone follow-ups every two weeks. The post-test data were collected first at three weeks and then at three months after the training program began. The results of this study showed that the implementation of the caregiver training program can effectively improve the caregiver's preparedness, especially in managing behavioral problems of the demented elders at home. The longitudinal effect and the cost of this program need to be further evaluated.