A MODEL FOR DEVELOPING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE ELDERLY THROUGH LIFELONG LEARNING BASED ON COMMUNITY WAY OF LIFE, MUANG MAI BANG BUA THONG MUNICIPALITY, BANG BUA THONG SUB-DISTRICT, NONTHABURI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) Examine the quality of life of the elderly, 2) Investigate community conditions and people's way of life, and 3) Develop a model for improving the quality of life of the elderly through lifelong learning based on community way of life in New Bang Bua Thong Municipality, Nonthaburi Province. A mixed methods research design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through a WHOQOL-BREF-based questionnaire from a sample of 390 elderly persons and analyzed using means and standard deviations. Qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 20 key informants, two focus group discussions, and documentary analysis, and were analyzed through content analysis. The findings revealed that the overall quality of life of the elderly was at a high level ( = 3.47). The social relationships domain had the highest mean score ( = 3.71), followed by psychological health ( = 3.62) and environment ( = 3.58), while physical health had the lowest mean score at a moderate level ( = 2.98). The community was undergoing a transition from an agricultural to an urban society, comprising two types: traditional communities with strong social networks and housing estate communities where the elderly tended to experience social isolation. The area possessed multicultural local wisdom from three cultural roots: Thai-Buddhist, Thai-Chinese, and Thai-Muslim. A key finding was that older adults valued friendship over content when participating in learning activities. The model for developing the quality of life of older adults through lifelong learning based on community ways of life is grounded in three principles: 1) Older adults are both givers and receivers; 2) The community way of life serves as both the content and the space for learning; and 3) Learning and social interaction are inseparable.