Family Caregivers’ Empowerment Process in Respite Care

[[abstract]]本研究的目的在於瞭解喘息服務對家庭照顧者的賦能歷程。研究者採用立意取樣的方式，共邀請了四位家庭照顧者參與研究，並使用半結構化的深度訪談蒐集資料。綜合本研究四位參與者的訪談資料，分析結果如下： 一、在家庭照顧者的照顧經驗中，家庭照顧者必須面對照顧工作中不斷累積的問題與壓力，也要因應生活中的困境。家庭照顧者的問題來自於缺乏照顧的知 識與技巧、獨自一人負擔照顧工作、以及與家屬之間互動。 二、在參與喘息服務所安排的活動過程中，家庭照顧者拓展了生活經驗以及社交機會，與工作人員以及其他家庭照顧者相處時也感受到情緒的改善與壓力的減輕；在分享生活與照顧經驗的過程中，家庭照顧者更從彼此身上學習到照顧工作的相關知識以及面對與處理問題的技巧。 三、在喘息服務對家庭照顧者的賦能歷程方面，家庭照顧者在參與「喘息之旅」活動後在自我成長、學習與自我效能感方面都表現出許多正向轉變，包括改善與被照顧者之間的關係、照顧工作進行的方式，以及主動尋求協助並且利用社區資源。除此之外，家庭照顧者也在活動過程中找到了自我照顧的方式。 最後，研究者根據研究結果，針對專業助人者、社區諮商方向以及未來研究提出相關建議。[[abstract]]The aim of this study is to describe family caregivers’ experience of participation in respite care and how this experience influences the life and burden of caregivers with the focus on empowerment process. Interviews with four family caregivers were conducted. The results suggest that participating in respite care services do empower family caregivers and cause positive changes in many aspects of life. Their experiences were that respite care services changed the way they looked at their daily life, as well as the burden of caring their partners or family members. Through sharing their information and experience about life and caregiving, family caregivers have learned from other participants how to deal with the difficulties and stress as being caregivers, and become more positive toward their life and the relationship with family members. Also, family caregivers have learned how to use social resources to improve the quality of their life. Implications of the findings for professional helpers, community counseling and future study were offered.[[note]]碩