HKIER

Abstract

Owing to the lack of support, caregivers of the frail elderly often face a very difficult decision between family care and institutional placements for their aged family members. Underneath this caring dilemma, counselors should work with family members' mixed emotions,guilty feeling,role conflicts and most fundamentally, help them to reduce their stress in caregiving. Techniques of stress reduction are discussed at the family, caregiver and service support levels. A Telelink service is introduced to provide reassurance and support to caregiver and to enlarge their social support networks. With longevity, caregivers will face longer duration in caregiving and have to deal with possible further deteriorations in the self-care abilities of their frail family members. They should be properly assisted and appreciated while rendering this long-term home care. Family members, the community and the state should provide all necessary supports for the caring of the frail elderly.

摘要

由於缺乏支持，護老者常要面對的抉擇是：應否送老人家入院舍或繼續留在家中吃力地照顧。所以輔導員應體恤護老者在這方面所承受之壓力、矛盾心情、角色衝突及困擾之情緒。本文會討論為護老者減輕壓力的技巧，並介紹一項「電話支援」服務，以擴大他們的照顧網絡。隨著老人壽命之延長，護老者實應獲得家人、社區及政府的支持。