Yip Alice, Mo Yuen-Han, Yip Jeff, Tsui Zoe, Fong Fu-Fai, Chu Pui-Man
S.K. Yee School of Health Sciences, Saint Francis University, 2 Chui Ling Lane, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, 10 Wai Tsui Crescent, Braemar Hill, North Point, Hong Kong, China.
Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Dec 11;12(24):2512. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12242512.
Family caregivers of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) face numerous challenges in long-term planning, which have been exacerbated amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific triggers raise awareness of future planning needs, but barriers like painful emotions and exhaustion often impede the process. This study aimed to explore Hong Kong (HK) caregivers' perspectives on long-term planning for family members with ID at the later period of the pandemic. A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized. In-depth interviews regarding experiences with long-term care preparation during COVID-19 were conducted with 12 purposively sampled HK caregivers of adults with ID. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method. Four key themes emerged: planning a loved one's future alone, the burden of arranging care for disabled loved ones, planning a child's future care amid family tensions, and the pandemic worsening future caregiving worries. Caregivers urgently require encouragement and support from policymakers and professionals to build confidence in long-term strategy and access robust assistance. Implications include identifying caregiver concerns, aiding gradual planning implementation, increasing respite options, and facilitating discussions regarding future residential care homes. This study provides initial valuable insights into an overlooked population during an unprecedented crisis.
智障人士的家庭照顾者在长期规划方面面临诸多挑战，在新冠疫情期间这些挑战进一步加剧。特定的触发因素提高了人们对未来规划需求的认识，但诸如痛苦情绪和疲惫等障碍常常阻碍这一进程。本研究旨在探讨香港照顾者在疫情后期对智障家庭成员长期规划的看法。采用了定性现象学方法。对12名经过有目的抽样的香港成年智障人士的照顾者进行了关于新冠疫情期间长期护理准备经历的深入访谈。使用科莱齐的方法对数据进行了分析。出现了四个关键主题：独自规划亲人的未来、为残疾亲人安排护理的负担、在家庭关系紧张的情况下规划孩子未来的护理以及疫情加剧对未来护理的担忧。照顾者迫切需要政策制定者和专业人士的鼓励与支持，以建立对长期战略的信心并获得有力的援助。其影响包括识别照顾者的担忧、协助逐步实施规划、增加喘息机会以及促进关于未来养老院的讨论。本研究为前所未有的危机期间一个被忽视的群体提供了初步的宝贵见解。
