主要照顧者面對智障者老化照顧困境分析

The Difficulties of Caring for Aging People with Intellectual Disabilities

背景：科技的進步以及公共衛生的改善，智能障礙者的平均壽命也逐漸延長，同時這些智障者也和一般老人一樣會出現老化症狀，而主要照顧者不像機構中的照護員有充分的訓練，也不像社工師了解相關的福利措施，加上主要照顧者也逐漸步入老年，在這樣雙老家庭的狀況下，反而使主要照顧者在智障者老化的照護以及生活上面對著很多挑戰及困難。目的：本研究之目的在探討智障者老化時之相關問題以及主要照顧者在面對智障者老化時所面臨之相關照護及生活上之問題。方法：本研究為一篇文獻回顧之文章，經由各網路資料庫進行文獻之搜索，包含華藝線上圖書館、PubMed、Medline 等，並將搜尋到的文獻進行系統性的整理及歸納。結果：根據本篇結果發現，主要照顧者在面對智障者老化時最主要的問題包含因日常生活照顧上的困難，導致其身體及心理上感到壓力及負擔，而且對於相關福利措施認知的不足造成經濟上的負擔，而當智障者老化的同時也伴隨著主要照顧者的老化，因此更加無法照顧智障者，因而最後選擇將其送往機構，接受機構式的照顧。結論與建議：未來在面對這樣的狀況時，如何協助使用相關福利措施、提供良好的居住政策以及醫療的供給上等議題都是需要做統整及規劃，跳脫正常家庭的概念。

Background: The population of aging people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is growing rapidly, this aging issue is more complicated and challenges than the general population. Normally, the caregivers lack of adequate information for taking care of aging people with ID, and also meet many obstacles and challenges in health welfare systems to access the services. Objectives: The purpose of this review is identifying the barriers and challenges to take care of aging people with ID based on caregivers' perspective. Methods: The study is a paper review study. All of the information is searching from the databases of PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar. Results: The most important issues of aging people with ID are physical and mental stress when the caregivers take care of the clients and the issue of household income as well. The caregivers lack of adequate information for taking care of aging people with ID, and they also meet many obstacles and challenges in health welfare systems to access the services. Conclusion: The healthcare, welfare services, and living planning should be integrated to provide adequate support system for aging people with ID and their families.