The purpose of this study is to review the current social service provisions and health service provisions of the homes for the aged (HFA) on the government subsidy, by analyzing the residents´ living situations and their mental health conditions in the hope that the data obtained would then be utilized for the old age welfare policy-making in the future.
The authors looked into the compositions of residents by age and sex and the personnel and the facilities such as housing, dorms, dining room, recreation hall and dispensary of the HFA. They studied organic brain syndrom (OBS) by using 25-itemed Diagnoistic interview schedule for DSM-III and depression by using 20-itemed Zung´s self-rating depression scale in the residents of the HFA and, as control groups, community elderly residents and elderlies on a Life-long education program.
In the HFA, the residents´ sex ratio (female: male=2.3:1),age strata and handicapping conditions require sophisticate activity programs and appropriate care provisions. The qualification status and numbers of the personnel do not meet the regulated standards, nor the health care needs of the elderly. The conditions of facilities are inconvenient and present service provisions do not seem to be conducive to the enhancement of the residents´ morale.
In both OBS and depression tests, the residents of HFA are found to be in poorer health conditions than control groups. Environmental factor analysis indicates that there are strong correlations between the psychosocial factors such as age, monthly pocket money, religion, past occupation, growing place, separation period from family, and supporter and the mental health of the elderly, especially of the HFA.
The authors conclude that the quality and quantity of the social service provisions have an important impact on the maintenance of the mental health of the residents of the HFA and suggest that, to make the HFA a better living place for the underprivileged elderly, the welfare policy should take more considerations on the improvement of the facilities, living standards, social service planning and delivery system, personnel´s qualification, and health service provisions.
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