The purpose of this study is to reinterpret the meanings of formal and informal caregiving in regard to the elderly caregiving patterns, and further to classify each caregiving pattern, and reorganize the contents of each caregiving service according ...
The purpose of this study is to reinterpret the meanings of formal and informal caregiving in regard to the elderly caregiving patterns, and further to classify each caregiving pattern, and reorganize the contents of each caregiving service according to the specified elderly caregiving patterns. Considering that a variety of formal and informal support activities for the elderly and their caregivers may vary according to the economic, physical, emotional, and social participation needs of the elderly that can weaken in old age, this study also aimed to suggest an integrated model of elderly caregiving reflecting the characteristics of both the elderly and their caregivers.
The focus group interview and the survey were used, as a method of this study. The respondents of the focus group interview were elderly group, family caregivers group and elderly social workers group. The respondents of the survey were 493 elderly and 487 caregivers selected among several regions.
The main findings of this study run as follows.
First, the elderly caregiving pattern becomes basically separated into smaller parts, the formal caregiving and the informal caregiving. The formal caregiving is divided in detail into the systematic and policy caregiving(e.g. public assistance, social insurance) and social service caregiving(e.g. community social welfare center services). The informal caregiving is divided in detail into family caregiving, self-caregiving and friends/neighbor caregiving.
Second, caregiving services are composed of economic caregiving, emotional caregiving, physical caregiving, social activities caregiving in accordance with the elderly caregiving pattern.
Third, the elderly caregiving pattern and caregiving services model are presented in agreement with a characteristic of the elderly and family caregivers.
Finally, the major findings of this study suggest that the elderly caregiving patterns are composed of six types. Namely, pubic caregiving pattern(TypeⅠ), elderly self caregiving patterns(TypeⅡ), adult childern family caregiving patterns(TypeⅢ), complex 1 caregiving patterns(pubic caregiving+elderly self caregiving, TypeⅣ), complex 2 caregiving patterns(pubic caregiving + family caregiving, TypeⅤ), and complex 3 caregiving patterns(elderly self caregiving + family caregiving, TypeⅥ).
The integrated model is significant in that both formal and informal caregiving are needed with respect to elderly caregiving patterns and that it can serve as a reference for the two types to supplement each other and provide comprehensive caregiving service for both the elderly and their caregivers.
The integrated model for elderly caregiving suggested in the study was designed to overcome the limitations found in the old theories to explain the relationships between formal and informal caregiving. That is, it suggests the roles of each pattern related to the diverse aspects of caregiving service and takes into account the characteristics of both the elderly and their caregivers. Thus it claims its significance as an integrated model to embrace all the caregiving patterns and services for the elderly.