geriatrics-2017-scientifictracks-abstracts

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Volume 7, Issue 5 (Suppl)

J Palliat Care Med, an open access journal

ISSN: 2165-7386

Geriatrics 2017

September 4-5, 2017

September 4-5, 2017 | Edinburgh, Scotland

Geriatrics Gerontology & Palliative Nursing

International Conference on

AGEINGCARERSANDTHEIRAGEINGFAMILYMEMBERWITHMILD-MODERATE INTELLECTUAL

DISABILITY IN HONG KONG: WHAT NEEDS AND CARE DO THEY HAVE?

Lisa PL Low

and

Kayla KY Wong

Caritas Institute of Higher Education, Hong Kong

Statement of the Problem:

Understanding the difficulties of the ageing carers in providing care to their ageing family member with

an intellectual disability (ID) can help to facilitate the development of appropriate services and interventions to strengthen both

parties’ capacity to continue with the duties and obligations associated with filial piety in the Chinese society. However, little is known

about the caring needs and types of care provided by ageing family carers when caring for their community-dwelling ageing ID family

members in Hong Kong.

Methodology:

This paper presents the qualitative data of 16 ageing family carers who were matched against family members with

mild or moderate ID and using a sheltered workshop. Audio-taped interviews lasted 45-60 minute and data were content-analyzed.

Results:

Mothers were found to be the major carers, and were either housewife or have retired from work. Since birth, they have

provided long-term special care to their family member with ID, and witnessed wavering changes in self-care abilities over the years.

Indeed, the ID members still had different caring needs that continued to linger into adulthood. The data highlighted a heightened

realization of family carers to refocus on the way they have always provided care, and to give considerations to instil strategies that

would help the ID members to build greater independence to manage their daily life in later life, especially when both parties are

already ageing or are soon-to-be old.

Conclusion:

Findings can provide an understanding of the caring needs and types of care that ageing family carers provide to their

ageing ID adult who are currently using a sheltered workshop. Further support for the ageing family carers to continue with their

caring roles is also highlighted. More data are needed to explore the importance and urgency attached to the different needs and the

level of independence or protectiveness family carers prescribe to providing care to their family members with ID.

Biography

Lisa PL Low works as an Associate Professor. Her research interests are gerontology and long-term care, with emphasis on the organization of gerontological care

and practices, discharge planning for older patients and family members. Her Ph.D. thesis adopts a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore decision-

making in residential care homes from the perspectives of older residents, family members and care providers. This work has now been extended to explore family

decision-making of older people with mild-moderate dementia and for clients with intellectual disability using predominately qualitative research approaches. As

part of her post-doctoral development her intentions are to continue to develop qualitative research approaches and methodologies in her academic and research

career.

lisalow@cihe.edu.hk

Lisa PL Low et al., J Palliat Care Med 2017, 7:5(Suppl)

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7386-C1-011