Kesejahteraan Fizikal dan Health-seeking Behaviour Penjaga Utama Warga Tua: Kajian di Besut, Terengganu (Physical Well-being and Health-seeking Behaviour of Primary Caregivers of the Elderly: A Study in Besut, Terengganu)

Abstract

Tugas penjagaan tidak formal warga tua yang dilakukan secara jangka panjang sangat mencabar dan membebankan penjaga utama terutama bagi yang melakukannya secara sepenuh masa. Penjagaan warga tua sekiranya dilakukan secara jangka panjang boleh mempengaruhi kesejahteraan fizikal penjaga utama. Walaupun berperanan sebagai penjaga utama, mereka mempunyai kemampuan dan kemahiran yang terbatas dalam menjaga warga tua. Tambahan pula, kebanyakan daripada mereka juga telah tua dan menghidap penyakit. Oleh itu, tujuan artikel ini dihasilkan untuk menganalisis kesejahteraan fizikal dan health-seeking behaviour penjaga utama semasa penjagaan warga tua. Kawasan kajian ini ialah daerah Besut, Terengganu. Pengkaji telah menggunakan pensampelan snowball dan seramai 12 orang penjaga utama telah ditemubual. Hasil kajian menunjukkan informan mudah mengalami kecederaan dan gangguan tidur secara tidak langsung boleh memberi kesan kepada kesejahteraan hidup mereka. Kajian mendapati kebanyakan informan adalah golongan yang telah berusia dan mempunyai penyakit. Namun demikian, penjagaan jangka panjang warga tua juga boleh mempengaruhi tingkah laku informan dalam mendapatkan rawatan bagi merawat penyakit yang dihidapi (health-seeking behaviour). Keadaan ini berlaku kerana ada dalam kalangan informan mempunyai masalah kewangan dan tidak mempunyai masa yang bersesuaian untuk membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan di hospital. Mereka lebih memilih menggunakan kaedah rawatan secara tradisional. Penjaga utama tiada pilihan lain selain perlu menyesuaikan diri dengan persekitaran penjagaan tanpa mengambil kira kesejahteraan hidup mereka yang terjejas. Oleh itu, keputusan kajian ini dapat digunakan untuk membantu pihak kerajaan dalam merangkan dasar atau polisi yang bersesuaian bagi penjagaan warga tua.

Kata kunci: Penjaga; warga tua; penjagaan; kesejahteraan hidup; kesihatan

Abstract: Caring for the elderly on a long-term basis is difficult and burdensome for the primary caregiver, especially those who do it full-time. Long-term eldercare might impact the physical health of the primary caregiver. Despite being the primary caregivers, they have inadequate abilities and skills in caring for the elderly. Moreover, most of them are senior citizens in deteriorating health. So, the aim of this research is to look at primary caregivers' physical well-being and health-seeking behaviour while caring for the elderly. This study was conducted in Besut Terengganu, and 12 main caregivers were interviewed using snowball sampling. The study's findings revealed that informants are vulnerable to injury, and that sleep problems can have an indirect impact on their health. The investigation discovered that the majority of the informants were elderly and unwell. However, long-term care for the elderly can influence the informant's decision to seek treatment for the sickness (health seeking behaviour). This circumstance arises because some of the informants are financially strained and do not have enough time to visit the hospital for a health check-up. They prefer traditional therapy procedures. Primary caregivers have no other option but to adapt to the care setting. As a consequence, what comes out of this research can help lawmakers design appropriate policies.

Keywords: Caregiver; elderly; long-term care; well-being; health

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