Development Guidebook for The Life Quality of Elderly Promotion Based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through the Community

Abstract

Background and Aims: At present, the global community, including Thailand, has transitioned into an aging society, which impacts national development. The objectives are 1) to study the current condition, problems and needs related to the promotion of the life quality of elderly according to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through the community 2) To develop a guidebook to promote the life quality of elderly according to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through the community and to assess the appropriateness of the guidebook to promote the life quality of elderly according to the sufficiency economy philosophy through the community.

Methodology: The research employs a mixed-method approach with the following stages: Stage 1: Document review and current situation analysis. This involves gathering relevant documents and studying the current conditions, problems, and needs related to promoting the quality of life for older adults. A structured questionnaire is used to survey a sample of 400 participants aged 60 and above, residing in Samut Prakan province. Stage 2: Drafting the manual outline. The content framework is established, comprising five aspects based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Stage 3: Evaluating the manual's suitability. The draft manual is presented to 6 purposively selected Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) and 60 purposively selected older adult representatives from Samut Prakan province. A questionnaire is used to assess the manual's appropriateness. Stage 4: Creating a comprehensive manual containing essential information on improving the quality of life for the elderly based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.

Results: The results showed that the life quality of elderly in Samut Prakan Province according to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy Overall, it was at a high level (\overline{x}=3.99) and there was a need for the life quality of elderly improvement according to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through the community in Samut Prakan Province. It was found that the elderly wants community leaders to promote income and expense accounting, find an additional career, take care of health thoroughly both physical and mental health and promote savings. The developed guidebook takes the form of a brochure, comprising a cover page, rationale, objectives, concepts, implementation methods, and expected outcomes. Its content encompasses five key components, including the three rings and two conditions of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. As for the assessment of the appropriateness level of the guidebook to promote the life quality of elderly according to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through the community by the Village Health Volunteers representatives (VHVs) overall were at a moderate level (\overline{x}=3.44) and assessed the appropriateness level of this guidebook by the elderly representatives overall was at a moderate level (\overline{x}=3.50).

Conclusion: The findings of this research demonstrate that in developing a guidebook to promote the quality of life for elderly based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through the Community, it is essential to begin by surveying the current issues and development needs of the elderly. This ensures that the guidebook aligns as closely as possible with the community context and the specific requirements of the elderly. The practical methods outlined in the guidebook are designed to enable the elderly to live in accordance with the principles of the Sufficiency Economy. When the appropriateness of the developed guidebook was evaluated by relevant stakeholders, it was found to have an overall moderate level of suitability, indicating its potential for further implementation.