Situations of older people who required assistance in Waeng Yai subdistrict, Waeng Yai district, Khon Kaen province, Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics, problem, needs and situations related to the older people who required assistance by the community in Waeng Yai sub-district, Waeng Yai district, Khon Kaen province. The critical ethnographic study research was employed, data were collected by qualitative research methods with instruments created by researchers. The data were collected by in-depth interviews on the older people who required assistance and their caregivers and focus group discussions on health volunteer group, community leaders, and the government officers. So, there were 56 informants in total. Triangulation was used to verify the quality of data and validity of data obtained from the informants was confirm by the experienced qualitative researchers. The data were analyzed using content analysis.
The results showed that 1) the characteristics of the older people who required assistance were found 4 main groups, consisting of (1) the older people with physical illnesses (2) the older people with mental illnesses (3) the older people living through suffering, and (4) the poor the older people ; 2) the situations related to the older people who required assistance, there were 5 important issues that reflected the impact on the older people who required assistance: (1) social situations, caring for family members and communities; (2) the economics situation of the older people and their families; (3) the situation of health conditions reflecting health problems and access to basic services; and (4) the situation of the housing environment and assistance received. This situation is consistent with the life scenes of each group of the older people who required assistance. It can lead the analysis and design of family and community care that is truly in line with the problems and needs of the target group. Suggestions for further research should be development the care model for the older people who required assistance in their socio-cultural context.