失智症照護的社群媒體使用與培力──以臉書的家庭照顧者社團為例

Social Media Use and Empowerment in Dementia Care: Facebook Groups for Family Caregivers as an Example

台灣超高齡社會逼近、失智症海嘯來襲，如何利用資通訊科技（information & communication technology, ICT）幫助首當其衝的家庭照顧者獲取健康資訊與社會支持，進而帶來培力的明確感受與實質效果，不僅是政府的責任，也是所有關心及參與失智症照護的醫事人員的首要課題。當前可應用於失智症衛教與提供給家庭照顧者的ICT非常多元，從網站、醫事人員專為家庭照顧者設計的健康照護app，乃至臉書、推特等社群媒體平台。本文從社群媒體平台的特性談起，列舉各種ICT在失智症家庭照護上的應用，以及點出臉書的家庭照顧者社團相較於其他數位工具的優勢，更有機會真正地培力家庭照顧者。筆者最後分享在臉書的家庭照顧者社團的田野觀察，期望有助於從事失智症衛教與健康宣導的護理人員擬定更有效的社群媒體策略。

The expected and nearing approach of a super-aged society and dementia“tsunami”in Taiwan must be prioritized by healthcare professionals to help family caregivers of patients with dementia find effective health information and social support and become more empowered in their caregiving roles. The multiple information and communication technology (ICT) platforms currently available for dementia education and family caregivers range from websites and apps designed by healthcare professionals to social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. This article discusses the characteristics of social media, lists the various ICT applications available for dementia care, and highlights the advantages of using Facebook groups created by family caregivers over other digital tools in terms of empowering family caregivers. Finally, the author shares his own field observations of family caregivers FB groups, with the findings expected to assist healthcare professionals, including nurses, to develop and implement more-effective social media strategies.