Emotional support tops concerns among Taiwan’s family caregivers

情緒支持是台灣家庭照顧者最關心的問題

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Association of Family Caregivers recently launched a Line account to provide caregivers with 24/7 access to assistance and resources.

Data from the association’s family caregiver support hotline show that emotional support inquiries account for 29.4% of all calls, making it the most common concern among callers. This marks a 2.5% year-on-year increase, according to CNA.

Calls related to caregiving resources make up 19.9%, while caregiving needs account for 17.3%. Regardless of age, anyone providing care to family members who have lost the ability to care for themselves due to old age, illness, disability, or accidents is considered a family caregiver.

Within the emotional support category, 42% of callers said they needed help relieving caregiving-related stress, including feelings of anxiety, depression, fatigue, helplessness, and anger. Communication difficulties with care recipients accounted for 23.3% of calls, and challenges interacting with other family members made up 20%.

A 2007 survey by the association identified major sources of caregiver distress as loss of personal life at 28.3%, difficulty balancing work and caregiving at 21.5%, and financial hardship at 20.3%.

The association said social trends such as an aging population, declining birth rates, and changing family structures have increased the challenges families face in managing caregiving responsibilities independently.

Since a high-profile case in Taipei in December 2010, when an 84-year-old man killed his 80-year-old wife who suffered from Parkinson’s disease, the association has tracked caregiving-related tragedies reported in the media.

In the past five years, more than 50 cases of caregiver suicides or fatal incidents involving caregivers and care recipients have been recorded. These cases tend to involve older individuals, predominantly men, and are often more severe, frequently occurring during holidays.

To support caregivers, the association encourages those in need to call the caregiver support hotline at 0800-507272. The new Line account also offers real-time, round-the-clock access to caregiving information.