NTU Study: Integrating Medical and Life Support in Long-Term Care Yields Better Disability Improvement

As Taiwan enters a super-aged society, many people opt for long-term care services such as bathing, cleaning, and meal preparation. However, a study by National Taiwan University (NTU) indicates that if long-term medical services are used in conjunction with life support services, the improvement in disability after one year is superior to using only life support services.

A team led by Professor Chen Ya-mei from the Institute of Health Policy and Management at NTU's College of Public Health presented their latest research today. They emphasized that using long-term care smartly is not just about receiving care, but about transforming the opportunity to use services into a chance to maintain function, delay decline, and restore autonomy.

During her presentation, Chen pointed out that Taiwan has become a super-aged society, with over 20 out of every 100 people being 65 or older, and its aging rate is outpacing other countries. Consequently, statistics estimate that the number of disabled people in the total population will reach 920,000 in 2026 and increase to 1.29 million by 2035, affecting far more than 1.29 million families.

Chen stated that as long-term care has evolved from version 1.0 to the current 3.0, the focus of services needs to shift from "is someone coming to help?" to "is the service truly helping the elderly recover or maintain function?" In other words, long-term care should not be an arrangement that starts only after disability occurs. Interventions should begin in the pre-frailty and frailty stages, using diverse activities, re-ablement training, and inter-professional services to help the elderly maintain physical, psychological, and social functions with safe support.

Chen explained the current ABC system of the long-term care service network. Level A, the flagship long-term care centers, have case managers who connect community resources. Level B, the specialized long-term care shops, provide professional medical services and life support services. Level C, the neighborhood long-term care stations, offer activities and communal dining for the elderly.

A common question from the public is how to choose from the many long-term care service items. Chen said that due to a lack of familiarity with the services, people tend to choose the most common life support services like meal preparation, cleaning, and bathing, and use fewer medical-related resources.

Chen stated that the study found that integrating medical professional services with life support resulted in better improvement in disability after one year compared to using life support alone. It is believed that a long-term care model where medical and life support services cooperate can address both the health and care needs of the elderly, allowing them to maintain their functions better.

The focus of reinforcement also differs for different elderly individuals. Chen explained that for those with mild disabilities, the use of re-ablement services can be enhanced to achieve functional recovery. For those with severe disabilities, a combination of advice from medical professional services and strengthening "participatory care" in daily life can help maintain function.

As for how the public can determine if they are "using long-term care smartly," Chen suggests asking three questions: "Does this service or activity help the elderly maintain or restore a specific daily living ability?" "Do the home care aides, day care staff, activity leaders, family members, and professionals know that the common goal is functional maintenance, rather than each doing their own thing?" "Is the elderly person encouraged to do a part of it themselves within a safe range?"