Exploring the Development of Home Help Model in the Community-based Care from the Supply and Demand Side

According to the investigation, the numbers of people who applied for home services have been increased recently in almost every home service agency and the higher percentage are from the non-low income families. Furthermore, it was found that for low-income families, the home service needs are mainly focused on the items of home helps, while for the non-low income families, their main needs are around the items of physical care.

From the view of resources allocation, if the people receiving home services are appropriate is a very important issue. Since the home service regulations and allowances now mainly depends on applicants’ physical and functional disabilities, and home services model is not a proxy to the care function in households, it is not easy to decide who or which family may be more needed. It is suggested that more communication is critical between home service providers and the caregivers in households before any home services are provided to reduce the unnecessary misunderstanding and also enhance the care satisfaction.

It is also important to perform the evaluation mechanism regularly by a multi-displinarily team to consider the long-term care need for a person and family as a whole but not only measure their functional status. In summary, this study explored from the supply and demand angles, to understand the service contents, its appropriateness, and the real needs and experiences perceived by the users— frail people and their families.

It is hoped that the voices of both the professionals and the users could be heard and most importantly, policy makers could be based on to develop a needs-led native home help model and also right and suitable for whom under its services.