隨著老年人口的增加，首要面對的議題即為慢性病罹病率的劇增，而其中又以近年來大家所最為關注的失智症為最。由於失智症患者的記憶力、語言與自我照顧能力會隨著病程而逐漸退化，使得照顧者在照顧上的負荷更勝一般失能老人的照顧者。因此，本研究欲從失智老人家庭照顧者的觀點，瞭解其選擇使用居家服務之經驗。 據此，本論文之研究目的在於：一、瞭解失智老人家庭使用居家服務之原因。二、探索失智老人家庭照顧者使用居家服務前後的照顧項目變化，並進而探究居家服務對照顧者及老人之功能。三、從失智老人家庭照顧者的觀點出發，探索何謂好的居家服務，以及其他失智症相關的福利需求。四、依據研究結果，作為服務單位改進措施及政策規劃之參考。 本研究使用質性取向的研究方法，由台北市兩間居家服務協助提供適合本研究之研究對象，採用半結構式的深度訪談法進行資料蒐集，共計訪談十位照顧者。主要的研究結果如下： 一、失智老人家庭照顧者普遍都有生理、心理及社會層面的負荷，這些負荷包括照顧壓力太大、自己的時間受到限制及照顧與工作無法兼顧；而當照顧者面臨到老人因素、照顧者因素及照顧人力因素等三個因素的困難時，就會傾向選擇其他的替代方式來照顧老人。 二、對失智老人家庭照顧者而言，居家服務除可分擔自己的照顧責任、增進社會接觸、補充照顧人力不足之問題以及增加可彈性運用之時間外，更能讓自己對老人狀況有所掌握，並能減緩自己與老人間的緊張關係；而居家服務對失智老人亦有所幫助，尤其是在「增加老人社會接觸」與「增進老人生活自理能力」兩方面。但僅對於輕、中度的失智老人有幫助，對於失智重度以上甚至生活自理能力缺損嚴重的老人而言，幫助則有限。 三、對於失智老人家庭照顧者來說，好的服務員應具備：要有服務熱忱、有愛心、能注重細節，並能感受老人的需求；要有好的服務態度；要有專業素養；及要能讓老人信任等特質；而照顧者眼中好的居家服務單位，則應具備：為求服務員穩定提供服務，對於服務員的休假或請假應有相關規定；應要求服務員要定期回報服務狀況；及應定期安排服務員受訓等條件。 / With the increase of elderly population, the rapid growth of the morbidity of chronic diseases has become the most important issue. In recent years, most people pay attention to the elderly with dementia because their memory, language and self-care capacity will be gradually degraded during the course of the disease. The burden of caregivers taking care of the elderly with dementia is much heavier than the general caregivers of the disabled elderly. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the viewpoints of caregivers taking care of the elderly with dementia about their experiences in choosing to use the home-care services. Accordingly, the purposes of this study are the following: first, understanding the reasons of using home-care services of the family with the elderly with dementia; second, exploring the changes of the caregivers taking care of the elderly with dementia before and after using the home-care services; third, exploring what are good home-care services and other dementia-related welfare needs from the viewpoints of caregivers taking care of the elderly with dementia; forth, providing suggestions for policy making and the improvement of the home-care services providers based on the research findings. This study used the qualitative research approach, and collected data from two home-care services providers and included semi-structured in-depth interviews with ten caregivers of the elderly with dementia. The research findings were listed below: First, the caregivers of the elderly with dementia generally had physical, psychological and social dimensions of burden including pressure, limited time and being not able to take charge of caregiving and work simultaneously. When caregivers faced the difficulties of the above three factors such as the elderly with dementia, caregivers and caregiving manpower, they tended to choose other alternatives to provide caregiving for the elderly. Second, for the caregivers of the elderly with dementia, they could understand the situation of the elderly and reduce their tensions between themselves and the elderly in addition to sharing their duty of caregiving, improving social contact, supplying manpower, and enhancing the time flexibility by providing home-care services. Home-care services also could help the elderly with dementia particularly in the dimensions of “social contact “and “promotion of daily living”. However, it was only for the elderly with mild to moderate degree of dementia; for the elderly with severe dementia and more severe impairment of daily living, the benefit was limited. Third, from the viewpoints of family caregivers of the elderly with dementia, a good home-care worker should have the enthusiasm for providing services, be compassionate and attentive to details, be able to understand the needs of the elderly, have a good attitude, be professional, and be able to be trusted by the elderly. In addition, a good home-care services provider should provide the stable quality of services, have the relevant regulations, require caregivers to report services status regularly and train the home-care workers periodically.