title: Family experiences related to the decision to institutionalize an elderly member in Taiwan: an exploratory study.
abstract: Industrialization and urbanization have changed the structure of Taiwanese families. Placing elder family members with impairments in nursing homes has become a new caregiving alternative. However, Taiwanese commonly consider this placement to be a violation of traditional filial obligation. Therefore, institutionalization is a highly sensitive cultural issue. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with nine family members, revealing three major processes in the decision of institutionalization -- breaking harmony, rebuilding harmony and evolution, as well as four important factors that influence the decision -- the quality of the relationship between the elder and his/her family, characteristics of the elder, financial condition of the family and perceived public opinion toward institutionalization. The findings suggest that the decision process in institutionalization is a gradual, fluid, cyclical movement without definite steps.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, 78701, USA.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Stuifbergen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D003469:Culture; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013624:Taiwan