INTEGRATION OF BUDDHIST MINDFULNESS PSYCHOLOGY TO DEVELOP THE MENTAL POTENTIAL OF VOLUNTEER CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY IN RAI KHING URBAN COMMUNITY, NAKHON PATHOM PROVINCE

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) examine the integration of Buddhist mindfulness psychology to develop the potential of volunteer caregivers for the elderly in Rai Khing Urban Community, Nakhon Pathom Province; 2) develop a knowledge package for volunteer caregivers capacity grounded in Buddhist mindfulness psychology; and 3) implement the integrated approach within the Rai Khing Urban Community. A qualitative research design was employed to investigate Buddhist mindfulness psychology and its integration into the development of volunteer caregivers, with the aim of creating a practical framework that is both accessible and applicable to volunteers caregivers providing care for elderly people. Data were collected from 20 key informants drawn from four groups volunteer caregivers, community-dwelling elderly, community leaders and local government officials, and representatives of relevant organizations. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and documentary analysis and were analyzed using content analysis in accordance with the research objectives. The findings revealed that 1) the integration of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana 4) which serve as a mechanism for developing the internal competency of volunteer caregivers, with the Four Divine Abodes (Brahmavihara 4), which constitute the virtuous core guiding volunteer–elderly relationships, together with contemporary mindfulness psychology, was appropriate for the social and cultural context of Rai Khing Urban Community, 2) a knowledge package entitled “Buddhist Mindfulness Psychology for Elderly Care Using the SATI-CARE MODEL”, was developed. The model was employed a four-petalled lotus as its symbol, in which each petal represents one of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and the central core represents the Four Divine Abodes. The package comprised a two-day practical training programme structured around seven core topics covering meditation and mindfulness in daily life, awareness of feelings and mental states, the cultivation of loving-kindness and forgiveness, the development of psychological resilience, and application of these principles to the elderly care; and 3) following the implementation of the knowledge package, volunteer caregivers demonstrated clear improvements in mindfulness, interpersonal relationships, and compassionate ways of living, as evidenced by the evaluation result and informants’ reflections. This research presents the SATI-CARE MODEL as an innovative model grounded in Buddhist philosophy and supported by empirical evidence, with strong potential for sustainable replication across other Buddhist communities.