Telecare for the elderly--community nurses' experiences in Taiwan

Advances in science, technology, and healthcare have contributed to the global growth of an aging population. With a concomitant decline in birth rate, the increasing need for elder care cannot be met effectively by traditional care models as fewer caregivers are available. This study adopted a qualitative research method, and 13 nurses who have experiences in telecare were interviewed in a regional hospital in northern Taiwan. Data were content analyzed to explore nurses' perceptions of telecare services. Five major themes were identified: (1) provision of individualized care, (2) increasing job requirements and stress, (3) working with a collaborative care model, (4) understanding concerns of the elderly, and (5) foreseeing future challenges. The participants identified the advantages of telecare services for the elderly and recognized a new opportunity for health management in the future population and social changes. The use of technology to provide telecare may offer an effective supplement for elder care services.