Long Term Care: The Application of Telehealth Care in Community

Abstract

In year 1993, Taiwan became an aged society as it ageing population reach to 7% of the total population. How to help seniors to have a choice in their care and living arrangements at their own communities is become an important issue as "Ageing in Place" has been one of health policies in Taiwan. The long term care program was first established and introduced to Taiwanese society on 1980s. It is one of major elderly health care issues now. In Taiwan, long term care service can be defined into four types which are home care, community care, institutional care and special long term care service such as dementia and hospice care. Moreover, telehealth care has been a trend among the health care with elderly people. Department of Health in Taiwan had introduced and applied Telehealth program with long term care approach since year 2007. The purpose of this article is to brief introduce the applications of telehealth care in long term care. However, there is still a challenge for further application among elders and health care professionals.