陪他一段：四位女性長期照顧者的心路歷程

Abstract

生老病死是人生的必經過程，這是每個人都能明白的道理，但是往往在自己或家人身上真正發生的時候，尤其要面對人生的最後一個階段，往往是一個痛苦的過程。 近幾年各國的長照議題愈來愈多，民眾似乎也認知在人生到最後離開之前，也許會有一個階段，是無法自理而需要他人照顧，這段時間有可能很短，但也有可能會很長，如果可以提早事先知道各方面的支援系統和準備的方向，應該也是許多人內心的期望。 我是用訪談的方式，跟主要照顧者告知我想要做的訪談內容，徵求他的同意，約一個時間，採取面對面的接觸，用事先準備好的問題來進行90分鐘到120分鐘的訪談。在訪談的過程，通常我會先請他從事情發生的開始談起，然後談到家庭的成員在這個過程中的互動，瞭解家庭成員的關係，以及被照顧者的個性和價值觀，最後談的是整個在照顧的過程中，面臨的一些問題，以及如何處理。 我所訪談的四位主要照顧者都是女性，這四位女性都有受過高等的教育，也有一份穩定的工作，在事件發生的過程中，費用支出基本上都還是可以應付的，但是仍然還會擔心財務來源萬一中斷，家庭成員在面對照顧上感覺到很辛苦，因此我希望能夠透由這四位走過的心路歷程，幫助更多的人對於未來，如果有家庭有發生需要被長期照顧的人，在金錢的準備、價值觀的重新檢視、和心理的調適方面，能預先有所準備，也能夠更清楚政府的社會資源的進度和未來發展。為自己也為家人做好充足的準備，讓生命即便是面對終老也希望能有一個平靜祥和的過程。

Everyone knows that birth and death is an inevitable part of life that we all have to go through it. However, it is a painful process when it happens to our family, friends, even ourselves, especially when we have to face the last stages of life. In recent years, there are more and more issues about Long-Term Care around the world. People seem to realize that someday they must be taken care of by others in the last stages of life. The time could be short-term or long-term. If we can clearly know the support system and the preparation all we have to do, that would also meet everyone’s expectations. I interviewed the main caregivers, told them what I wanted to learn from them and asked for their consent. We used the questions I had prepared ahead and made a face to face interview in 90-120 minutes. During the interview, I asked them from the beginning of the Long-Term Care, then we talked about the interaction of family members in this process. To figure out the family relationship and to understand the personality, values of the person who be taken care of. The last part we talked about was what and how we have to do to deal with the problems we may have in the Long-Term Care process. The four caregivers I interviewed are all women. They all get higher education and has a stable job. The expenses are basically enough in the Long-Term Care process. But they still worry if the shortage of financial sources occurs, that would be a hard time to caregiving for family members. I hope I can help more people in their future through these four caregivers’ stories. If someday they have someone who has to be taken care of, they can be prepared in advance. Prepare for money, and re-examining their values and mind. They also can know more about social resource and the future direction. Then, even in the last stages of life, they can be prepared for themselves and their family to make the last stages to be a serene process.