Learning Objective #1: Understand the utilization of institutionalized long-term care services in Taiwan

Learning Objective #2: Understand predictors of the utilization of long-term care services in Taiwan

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The demand of institutionalized long-term care services in Taiwan is growing due to the greater number of elderly people. Currently, there are two types of institutionalized long-term care (LTC) facilities in Taiwan: nursing homes (hospital-based/freestanding) and community-based facilities. Purposes of this study were to understand institutionalized residents' utilization behaviors and their correlates and furthermore to predict the demand of institutionalized LTC services in Taiwan. A prospective record with a convenient sampling survey was used in this study. Based on Andersen's behavior model of health service use, three major components for predicting LTC utilization were predisposing, enabling, and need variables. The utilization behaviors of LTC services were classified as medical, skilled-nursing, health education, the aide of physical activities, and recreational services. Totally, there were 381 subjects; 200 of them were from 10 community-based LTC facilities and the remaining 181 subjects were from five hospital-based nursing homes. Results of study showed that the most utilized service in both types of LTC facilities was recreational services, such as watch T.V and listen to the radio. The most correlates of the utilization of LTC services were belong to the need component, such as activities of daily living, cognition status, medical diagnosis, and the need of services. Residents' age was negatively related to the utilization of health education services; residents who were younger tended to receive more services. Among variables in the enabling component, the only correlate of the utilization LTC services was the number of visits made by residents' families and their friends. Residents who were visited by their families often tended to receive more services of skilled-nursing and health education. Results suggest that there is a need to initiate the visits by residents' families and friends, such as initiating out-door activities and inviting family/friend participation actively.