The Quality of Caregivers for the Elderly in Long-Term Care Institutions in Zhejiang Province, China

Abstract

China is facing challenges in caring for older adults. This paper aimed to understand knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding the quality of caregivers for the elderly in long-term care institutions in Zhejiang Province, and also to find related factors to improve the quality of caregivers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to June 2016 in Zhejiang Province. In total, 84 caregivers were interviewed face-to-face with questionnaires on KAP towards elderly care. Multiple linear regression was used to find the related factors to KAP. A conceptual model was made to process path analysis among KAP and influencing factors using structural equation modeling. The study found that most caregivers in Zhejiang Province were middle-aged, female, and with a diploma below middle school. Many caregivers had not received any pre-employment training. Their salary was low although they undertook high-intensity work. Education and working years had a positive effect on knowledge and practice scores, and pre-employment training had a positive effect on knowledge and attitude scores. Knowledge and attitude regarding elderly care could positively affect elderly care practices. The quality of caregivers in Zhejiang Province was at a low level compared to developed countries. Continuous and regular elderly care training should be provided for caregivers to improve their elderly care knowledge and hence the quality of elderly care.

Factors Associated with Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Oral Care Among the Elderly in Hong Kong Community

“…Many medications have the side effect of dry mouth, which leads to further oral problems [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Maintaining better oral health with adequate moisture in the mouth, such as regular drinking water or rinsing the mouth, is fundamental knowledge [ 16 , 18 ]. However, such basic knowledge for oral health, including frequency of tooth-brushing and regular dental visits, worsens among old age groups [ 31 , 32 ].…”

“…First, in both local and overseas studies, elderly people have shown inadequate knowledge of oral care [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 16 , 17 ]. Most elderly individuals do not use proper dental tools for their dental care, including dental floss and toothbrush [ 16 , 18 ]. Furthermore, many elderly people do not have knowledge about oral diseases and oral care.…”

“…Based on the knowledge–attitudes–practices model developed by Zeng et al [ 18 ], improved knowledge increases an individual’s awareness of a specific construct. Positive attitudes can be attributed to adequate levels of knowledge, leading to improved motivation.…”

<p>Current Status and Challenges of Community-Based Elderly Care Centers in Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Study</p>

“…Studies have illustrated that CBECCs with adequate health professionals could provide good-quality elderly care, and it is suggested that the availability of professional caregivers is associated with increased residents' satisfaction. 30,31 Thirdly, only a few of the CBECCs provided home services, while we found that CBECCs which could provide home services were more popular than those could not. For the elderly with disabilities, home services are essential to help improve their quality of life.…”

The Elderly’s Demand for Community-Based Care Services and Its Determinants: A Comparison of the Elderly in the Affordable Housing Community and Commercial Housing Community of China

“…In China, the speed of population aging exceeds the speed of economic and social development, which leads to the slow progress of community-based care [ 8 , 9 ]. By the end of 2019, the proportion of people aged 60 years or over in China had reached 18.10% [ 10 ].…”