The analysis and recommendation of the institutional respite care policy in Taiwan

As the functionally impaired disabled elderly and the long-term care population has grown, concern about the physical, psychological and social demands facing primary caregivers has increased. An institutional respite care policy was adopted in Taiwan in 1998, but the rate of utilization of institutional care remains low. This article investigates the formative background, related circumstances and problems of respite care policy. The three dimensions of structure, process and outcome form the main framework for policy analysis. "Structure," includes demand and resources. "Process," includes health policy planning procedure, health administration and service delivery processes. "Outcome," covers service utilization, satisfaction, caregiver's well-being and care-receiver's institutionalization rate. In accordance with the results of the analysis the researchers propose recommendations about policy, practice, education and research, in the hope that these will be considered in relation to future modification and execution of respite care policy, in order to provide respite for suffering caregivers, and to carry out the ideal of aging in place.