Sustainable Development for Life Quality of the Elderly in Bangkok

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1 Sustainable Development for Life Quality of the Elderly in Bangkok Suttipong Boonphadung, Member, IEDRC, and Pintipa Seubsang Abstract Sufficiency economy-based schooling can notably improve life quality of the elderly, increasing their well-being, self-determination, positive health condition, positive emotional condition, engaging social community, and personal interaction. The aims of this paper were to: (1) identify the prevalence of octogenarian people who evaluate their current life as being mainly characterized by a positive quality, and (2) analyzing factors relating to life quality of the elderly, and (3) set up guidelines to enhance life quality of the elderly living in Suraolumkaeg community. Eighty-three elderly living residing in the Suraolumkaeg community was selected. A questionnaire was applied as well as mean ( X ), standard deviation (S.D.) and coefficient of variation (C.V.) as an analysis method. The studied samples defined their personal interaction is in the first rank followed by engagement in social community, positive emotional condition, and positive health condition. While self-determination, and well-being are in the average level. Among the interviewed, lack of to expressing opinions and sharing ideas with their own family member, relatives, and close friends was the main source for dissatisfaction. Index Terms Elderly, Life Q uality, School Based, Sufficiency Economics. I. INTRODUCTION The number of the elderly has been increasing since the system of the Public Health has been developed. In order to establish policy benefiting the increasing number of the elderly, the government should develop a life quality plan of the elderly to prepare the Thai society to the age society, which is one of the strategies of The Ninth National Economic and Social Development Plan together with the Second National Plan of the elderly (A.C ) [1]. In other words, the government and the stakeholders need to pay attention on developing the life quality of the elderly in terms of public healthcare service, social welfare and well-being enhancement. In addition, all of these developing strategies need to be based on a worthy investment. According to the statistic of demography, the numbers of elderly in 2000 to 2010, who are 60 years of age, are increasing. In 2010, the number of 60 years of age reached 7,639,000 or about percent of overall population. The number of elderly in Bangkok has increased from 721,000 in 2005 to 906,000 in 2010 [2]. The Nong Chok district is Manuscript received September 5, 2012; revised September 25, This work was supported in part by the Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Thailand. Suttipong Boonphadung is with the Faculty of Education, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, BKK, Thailand ( suttipong2511@ hotmail.com). Pintipa Seubsang is with the Faculty of Education, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, BKK, Thailand ( num182@ hotmail.com).. considered as the biggest area in Bangkok with high level on elderly population-11,793 [3]. Accordingly, it tends to bring about problems relating to quality of life for the elderly which affects the government and the related organization performance in dealing with health problems, cost of living, and the unbalance between the working age and the elderly [4], and being abandoned and mentally hurt with unrespectable words by family members [5]. Moreover, the form of Thai family has changed from extended family (including of grandfather, grandmother and the descendant living in the same family) to the single family (consist of husband, wife and child). In other words, there seems to be only two generations of the family members, therefore, the family members are unable to spend enough time on taking care the elderly. Thus, the elderly tend to feel worthless and have a lack of the sense of self-pride [6]. Such notions have an important implication for the government to establish and prepare for improving the quality of life for the elderly. According to applying the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, of His Majesty The King of Thailand in developing life quality guidelines for the elderly, the government economically invests the plan for improving the quality of life for the elderly. Developing life quality for the elderly is a very important and urgent matter that government needs to take into consideration [7]. Numerous studies relating to life quality of the elderly pay attention on risk factors effecting life quality development of the elderly. However, the study on developing life by using elderly based communities needed to be explored [8]. Educational institutes are located in the local communities as well as educational institutions and are therefore a rich source of information and technology. Hence, using school based in studying on developing quality life of elderly possibly leads to a clear understanding in factors effecting life quality of the elderly in order to reduce problem of quality of life of the elderly in the next 5-10 years. In other words, local school needs to cooperate with the local community and university to develop a life quality plan. By doing so, Thai society will be ready to deal with the future problems relating to poor life quality of the elderly [6]. With regard to the above matter, the researcher is thus interested in setting up life quality development guidelines for the elderly in the Nong Chok district, Bangkok by applying Sufficiency Economy-based schooling. The research objectives are to (1) study the level of elderly life quality in Nong Chok district, Bangkok, (2) analyze factors relating to life quality of the elderly in Nong Chok district, Bangkok, and (3) set up the guidelines to enhance life quality of the elderly in Nong Chok district, Bangkok by applying Sufficiency Economy based schooling DOI: /IJEEEE.2012.V

2 II. PARTICIPANT AND METHOD OF ANALYSIS The samples in the study were 83 elderly living in Suraolumkaeg community including of 44 males and 39 females with the ages rating from 60 to 80 years old. Sixty-one participants were in age between years old, 9 participants were in the age between years, 4 participants were in the age between years old, 6 participants are in age between years old, 2 participants were in the age between years old, and 1 participant was in the age over than 80 years. The average educational background of the participant was elementary educational level. The researcher has studied academic journals relating to the elderly and found the theories such as biologic theories, psychology and social. It is found that there are 3 kinds of change in the elder life: (1) physical, (2) mental and (3) social change [9]. Other factors effecting life quality of the elderly include a feeling of well-being, positive health condition, engagement with the community, personal interaction, positive emotional condition, self-determination, self-development and freedom [10], [11], [12, [13]. Two different kinds of interview forms are applied in measuring life quality. The first form consists of level 2 and 4. The 2 levels of measurement consists of yes/no questions. 4 levels of interview measurement demand elderly to answer yes or no questions on the satisfaction in their life quality. For the 4 levels of measurement interview form provides rating scale 1: Poor, 2: Fair, 3: Good, or 4: Excellent about the satisfaction in their life quality [14]. The second kind of interview is the 5 and the 6 levels of measurement interview form. The 5 levels of measurement interview form aims to ask the elderly to choose the answer from Very Satisfied to Unsatisfied by making the answers into small icons based on feeling rather than language use. The 6 levels of measurement interview form aims to ask the elderly to choose the answer from less important to most important by using Likert s concept [15], [16], [17], [18]. Based on the above life quality measurement, the researcher, then, created the 3 levels of measurement interview form. The interview form had been adjusted according to the Likert Type Question. The interview questions relate to 6 life quality issues and are divided into 83 questions. Those are (1) positive emotional condition (12 questions), (2) personal interaction (18questions), (3) engaging social community (10 questions), (4) well-being (18 questions), (5) positive health condition (15 questions), and (6) self-determination (10 questions). The research tool was approved as content validity (IOC of each item ranged from ). The research tool has been tested on 100 elderly who is not the target participant of the study in order to define the Alpha Coefficient. The Alpha Coefficient of Cronbach of each component and overall ranged from 0.944, 0.892, 0.914, 0.942, 0.923, 0.906, and in order. The director and teachers of Suraolumkaeg School took part in collecting data from the group of elderly who live near the Suraolumkaeg School in Nong Chok district, Bangkok. The researcher then analyzed the data concerning life quality of the elderly by using mean score ( X ) and Standard deviation (S.D.), then compare to the level of life quality by using coefficient of variation (C.V.), in order to find the related factors effecting life quality of the elderly. After that, the researcher divided data into each issue by using the Principle Component and Orthogonal method by Varimax, in order to find the Eigen of the each question, which is more than The question items with a weight over 0.50 were grouped as the main. Question with an item weight less than 0.50 was not taken into account of the research question. Next, the researcher analyzed the factors to set up the guidelines to enhance life quality of the elderly in Nong Chok district, Bangkok by applying Sufficiency Economy based schooling. III. RESULTS The findings of the study on life quality of elderly in Nong Chok district by applying Sufficiency Economy-based schooling are as follows: 1) The overall level of life quality of the elderly in the Nong Chok district appears to be high. As can be seen in Table I, the personal interaction is in the first rank, followed by engagement in social community, positive emotional condition, and positive health condition. While self-determination, and well-being are in the average level. TABLE I: OVERALL FINDING OF LIFE QUALITY OF THE ELDERLY Life Quality X S.D. C.V. Rank Quality of Life Results Personal Interaction High Engaging Social Community Positive Emotional Condition Positive Health Condition High High High Self-determination Average Well-being Average Overall High 2) According to Table I, well-being is the lowest issue for life quality of the elderly ( X = 2.11, S.D. = 0.69) The issue of well-being relates to the need of earning an income and being independent from financial support of the family (cost of living, donation, debt and medical expense etc.) In the same way, the self-determination is also at a low level. The low level of self-determination means that the elderly lack freedom in choosing and doing activity. They are unable to express opinions and share ideas with their own family member, relatives, and close friends. 3) The result of this research revealed that that positive emotional condition relates to loneliness (question number 4, 6, 7, 11 and 12 as shown in Table II) and life satisfaction factor (question number 1-3 and 8 as shown 374

3 in Table II). Personal interaction relates to the factors of relationship with family, friend, and neighbors. Engaging with social community relates to the factors of participating social volunteer and gaining social acceptance. Well-being concerns the factors of living and incomes and expenses. Positive health condition concerns healthcare and healthy diet factor. Lastly, self-determination relates to the factors such as freedom-of-thinking and being able to make self-decision. TABLE II: FACTOR LOADING AND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT POSITIVE EMOTIONAL CONDITION OF THE ELDERLY Item Good Emotional Factor Are you satisfied with your 0.84 surroundings? 2 Are you get along easily with 0.76 other? 3 Are you cheerful and enjoy with your surrounding? Do you feel bored? Do you want to change the past? Do you feel lonely? Do you feel worthless? Are you able to control your 0.58 feeling? 9 Do you accept the changing in your life? Are you satisfied with your present status? 11 Are you stressed because of your surrounding? Are you uncomfortable with your present status? ) The guideline to enhance life quality by applying Sufficiency Economy Based schooling consists of 6 different issues. Each issue contain its own related factors, which are in the average to low level from the questionnaire result, all of the issues used for setting up the guidelines for developing life quality by using a partnership between school administrator and teachers in order to move to the second phase as presented in Table III. 5) The guideline to enhance life quality by applying Sufficiency Economy Based schooling is the result of brainstorming and analyzing data between the school administrator, teachers, and the researcher. Additionally, the use of data source journals and related studies are taken in to account. IV. CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSIONS Personal Interaction appears to be the highest issue in life quality of the elderly. It means that the elderly in Nong Chok district construct good relationships with their family members, relatives and friends. This notion reflects that the elderly in the Nong Chok district have an adequate and appropriate treatment from family members and that often participate in their own social meetings. According to Thamsiri [11], the elderly still require mental and social need. In other words, they still need love and care from their family which is one of the basic processes of life quality. Jantriwong [19] additionally supported that in order to develop life quality of the elderly, it is important to focus on family as the center of development. Therefore, the guideline for enhancing personal interaction should emphasize on constructing a clear understanding of the family members in terms of understanding mental and physical change of the elderly. As result, family members are able to treat the elderly appropriately. Furthermore, encouraging the elderly to participate in family activities, social meeting activities, traveling activities and the activities of the local community tend to enhance personal interaction. Engaging social community of the elderly appears in the high level. According to the findings of current study, most of the participants gain acceptance and respect from people in their society. Kuha [20] and Thamsiri [11] asserted that it is important to strengthen the issue of social relation of the elderly in order to fulfill the need of the elderly. Sricharoen [21] asserted that inviting the elderly to be the community s speaker in a community brings about acceptance from people within their own social community. Importantly, it is the way to construct strong relationships between people in the society. Hence, the guidelines for enhancing the issue of engaging with the social community should emphasize club membership in order to construct social networks. Besides, encouraging the elderly to participate at the local community and supporting the elderly who are educated and processes experiences and skill to take a part in the committee of educational institute or local organizations is a way to create relationships within the local community. Positive emotional condition appears to be at a high level. Based on the findings, the elderly express positive feelings toward their surroundings, are able to control their feelings and emotions, and are satisfied in their living status. The study of Kuha [20] found that the guideline for enhancing the issue of positive emotional condition of the elderly should emphasize on enhancing mental stability of the elderly, such as, organizing social, traditional and religious activities, creating a kindliness campaign for the elderly, and activities allowing the elderly to show their talent. Positive health condition to a high level. According to the findings of the study, the participants are interested in healthcare. Kuha [20] recommended that the guideline for enhancing positive health condition of the elderly needs to focus health improvement. While Nanthasuppawatna and the team [22] additionally suggested that that the guideline for enhancing positive health condition of the elderly should focus on organizing exercise group activity such as walking or jogging in order to develop positive health condition. Moreover, setting the local educational institutes, as the center of exercise activity and publicizing information about healthcare and the harmfulness of smoking and drinking alcohol are another one way to effectively increase life quality. Furthermore, it is necessary to emphasize on wise consummation as well as providing the Mobile Medical Service or the Public Health Service to support health condition and prevent illness. Self-determination appears to be an issue in the average level. According to the findings of the study, the elderly 375

4 hesitate to express their opinion and ideas to their family and friends. It means that encouraging the elderly to express themselves freely, plan the activity for family or have a meeting with the relatives and friends are the way to encourage the elderly to feel that they are worth living in the family and society. However, it is also necessary to educate the family members about the negative effects of neglect and TABLE III: THE GUIDELINE TO ENHANCE LIFE QUALITY Life Quality Related Factor The guideline to enhance life quality of the elderly by applying Sufficiency Economy based schooling Well-being 1. Living Assisting the elderly to be able to rely on themselves by establishing occupational group for the elderly including both full-time and part-time jobs. 2.Income and expenses Searching for investment or economic support to enhance the 4 essential life factors of the elderly Making a campaign on improving safety of the environment Offering advice and necessary information to the elderly Self-determination 1. Freedom of thinking Publicizing and giving information about sufficiency economy for the realization of being reasonable, and sufficient. 2.Freedom in choosing Allowing the elderly to participate in expressing opinions and ideas, as well as, encouraging them to take part in the development of the community Establishing activities for developing positive relationships between the elderly and youth, for example, encouraging the elderly to participate in teaching, educating, and giving advices to the new generation. Expect Outcomes The elderly are able to be independent from financial support from their family members. Elderly live in a safe and appropriate environment. Elderly have better well-being with sufficiency economy Elderly feel free to express their opinions and are able to recognize advantages and disadvantages as a result of particular activity. The new generation gain valuable advice and life experiences. The local community has more unity. Positive Health Condition 1.Healthcare 2.Healthy diet Arranging exercise activities such as walking and jogging The elderly realize the importance of healthcare. Setting school as the place for exercise and center for sport The government should spend less expense on medical treatment Publicizing information about healthcare such as harmful effect of smoking and drinking alcohol Organizing training to educate the elderly about a healthy diet and nutrition The school is a model of developing life quality for the elderly. Positive emotional condition 1.Loneliness Organizing activities for elderly Elderly realize their own value and obtain self-esteem 2.well-being Organizing a kindliness campaign Organize travel activities Encouraging the elderly to participate in religious and traditional activities in the local community and local school Organizing the activities for the elderly to show their talents or abilities such as dancing, singing Engaging social community 1.Social volunteer 2 Gaining social acceptance Supporting the community to establish specific activities for the elderly Encouraging the elderly to participate in activities of the local community through better communicative leader or local school in order to create relationship between the local organizations Encouraging the local school to search for educated and experienced elderly to engage with local school The elderly have their own community for sharing ideas and problems The elderly gain social acceptance and are able to create positive relationships within their community Personal interaction 1.Family relations Emphasizing the appropriate way to treat the elderly The elderly feel happy and are satisfied with their surroundings. 2.Relations with Friends and neighbors Encouraging the elderly to participate in family activities, meeting party or traveling activity with friends The elderly and family members understand one another. the importance for their healthcare. The family members are then able to transfer the information to the elderly. In considering the findings on self-determination, the guideline for developing life quality in terms of self-determination should focus on encouraging the elderly to express their opinions and ideas on the development of their own local 376

5 community, to take a part in developing the new generation attitudes [23]. The life quality of the elderly in relation to well-being is in the average level. The study found that the elderly still need to work in order to earn their own income. They want to be independent from their family. Chen and the team [24] found that the financial condition is a factor effecting well-being of the elderly. Furthermore, it is found that the elderly expressed worry about accidents within their house and resident area. Thus, the guideline developing life quality of the elderly in terms of well-being should place importance on supporting appropriate career for the elderly to enhance 4 essential life factors of the low income elderly, organizing the training on healthy diet and nutrition, publicizing and offering information about sufficiency economy for the realization of being reasonable, and sufficiency and offering advice and necessary information to the elderly. Sricharoen [21] proved that in an attempt to improve the well being of the elderly, it is necessary to emphasize safe environment. Thamsiri [11] supported the point by stating that the elderly are at risk of having an accident that may cause disability or death, such as falling over the stairs and in the bathroom. Such notion is very important to take in to consideration. V. RECOMMENDATIONS The local school should associate with the local community and related organization, such as, the Local Sub District Administration Organization to develop the life quality of the elderly in relation to well-being and self-determination since these two factors are in the lowest level in comparison to the other factor. The improvement strategy may include supporting appropriate careers for the elderly and encouraging the elderly to take part in local community development and management by way of expressing their opinions and ideas. It is recommended that to improve the factor of the well being for the elderly, the association between the local community representative, board of local community or the local school is able to bring about practical guideline for developing life quality of the elderly Importantly, it is necessary to follow up the result of the guideline in order to develop, improve, and adjust to correspond with the context of particular local community. In considering to enhancing life quality, collecting data from interviewing the elderly and discussing family members appears to be another effective way to establish guidelines. Moreover, the association of local community, such as school and community leaders or representatives, play as a vital role in analyzing data in order to establish effective guidelines for developing life quality of the elderly. ACKNOWLEDGMENT This research could not successfully accomplish without the kindness of Ms. Pintipa Seubsang, Asst prof. Dr.Chanon Chandha, Asst. Prof. Chanisawara Lertamornpong and Mr. Narong and Ms.Suree Boonphadung. REFERENCES [1] W. Prajeobmor. (2011). Follow-up and Evaluation the 2nd System National Development Plan for the Elderly ( ). Jura Samphan, [Online]. 53(9). Available: [2] The Office of National Economic and Social Development. The Thai Demographic Forecast (1995). [Online]. Available: M [3] Ministry of Interior, Department of Provincial Administration. (October, 2010). Population Information Service. [Online]. Available: [4] B. Kelly, Older and Wiser, U.S. News & World Report, 2010, vol. 147, no. 2, pp. 4. [5] J. Kaesapitchayawatthana, (August 2010). How Do the New Generation be Happy, If the Elderly is still in the Miserable. [Online]. Available: [6] S. Changmai, Thai Society and The Elderly Status in the Present and Future, Mathichon, [7] W. Kosolpisitthi, Mathichol Daily 30 th Year. no [8] H. C. Hsu, C. H. Wang, Y. C. Chen, M. C. Chang, and J. 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Jantriwong, An Appropriate Life Quality Development for the Elderly in Rural Area by Using Family Centre, Surindra Rajabhat University, [21] S. Kuha, Life Quality Development Guideline for the Elderly in Nong Khow District, Kanchanaburi, Independent Study Report of Public Administration, Khonkaen University, [22] S. Sricharoen, Factors Effecting Life Quality of the Elderly, Social Science Research of Rejabhat Loey, [23] W. Nanthasuppawatna, Life Quality Development of the Elderly. Faculty of Nursing, Mahasarakam University, [24] O. S. Odebode, Participation of elderly women in community welfare activities in Akinyele local government, Oyo State, Nigeria, Australian Journal of Adult Learning, vol. 49, no. 3, pp , [25] J. Chen, S. Murayama, and K. Kamibeppu, Factors related to well-being among the elderly in urban China focusing on multiple roles, BioScience Trends, vol. 4 no. 2, pp.61-71, Suttipong Boonphadung was born in Bangkok, Thailand on July 3rd, In 1990, he obtained his first degree of Bachelor of Education (Honors) from Suan Sunandha Teacher College, Bangkok, Thailand. Then in 1997, he furthered his studies in Educational Measurement (M.Ed) at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2006, he graduated 377

6 Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Kasetsart University. Today, he is a lecturer in Curriculum Design and Instructional Theory, Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Modeling, and Research for Learning Development at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok, Thailand. Since 2008, he is also the Head of the Department of Master of Education Program in Curriculum and Instruction at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. Main research topics concern the principle of educational measurement and evaluation, the development of learning management, teaching for thinking skill enhancement, the development classroom action research for pre-service and in-service teachers. Recent studies include Sustainable Development of the Life Quality for the Elderly by Applying Sufficiency Economy-Based Schooling (South Korea, Jeju Island: Education and Management Technology, 2012), Life Long Education: Professional Development Guideline for Partnership in Practicum Placement of English Teacher Candidates in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (South Korea, Jeju Island: Education and Management Technology, 2012), and The Effects of Cooperative Groups as Communicative Language Teaching Techniques for Teaching Grammar to English Teacher Candidates in a Rajabhat University (South Korea, Jeju Island: Education and Management Pintipa Seubsang was born on 16 th August 1985 in Bangkok, Thailand, obtained her first degree of Bachelor of Arts (English) with Honors from Bangkok University, Thailand. In 2009, she furthered her studied in Master of English as an International Language at The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Ms Seubsang is currently a lecturer in the English department of the Faculty of Education at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. Between , she is also an advisor for English pre-service teachers on classroom action research. She has recently published Professional Development Guideline for Partnership in Practicum Placement for English Teacher Candidates in Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (South Korea, Jeju Island: Education and Management Technology, 2012). 378