POLICY AND MECHANISM IN ELDERS WELLNESS ENHANCEMENT OF PHAYAO LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION

Abstract

The study entitled “policy and mechanism in elders’ wellness enhancement of Phayao local administrative organization” aimed at studying policy, mechanism and process in elders’ wellness promotion, to analyze the process how to make policy and mechanism for elders’ well-being enhancement, and to investigate problems and obstacles in taking care of seniors in the local administration organization in Amphue Muang, Phayao.

Population that were important informants in  an in-depth  interview were 3 three chief executives  consisting of  the chief executive, the chief administrator of the Phayao provincial administrative organization, The caregiver of the elderly health promotion program, the chief executives of the  Maeka
sub-district administrative organization, Ban Tom sub-district administrative organization with purpose sampling , specifically, Phayao provincial administrative organization, Maeka sub-district municipality, and Ban Tom sub-district administration organization and key informants in focus group discussion with 15 purposive sampling of  experts, divided into 4 groups, namely three administrators of local government organizations, 3 Buddhist monks, 3 seniors and a group  involved with older school, such as teachers and 6 high school administrators.

Research tools in the study include an in-depth interview and focus group discussion. Data analysis was carried out based on two types of research techniques: in-depth interview data employing content analysis, using 6c technique for content synthesis, and dialectic process (dp) for content analysis consisting of 4 aspects and all of which were analyzed and synthesized, along with a summary of the research and a descriptive discussion.

The research indings were as follows:

1. Mechanism and process of enhancing elders’ health of local administrative organizations in Muang district, Phayao:  (i) policy: the determined policy is broadly announced and consistent with and linked to the constitutional law to the development plan of the local government organization, also in accordance with the mission, goal or purpose for development. for details on the operations related to the elders’ wellness, they are formulated in the strategies.  (ii) mechanism: the three developmental mechanisms in three institutions have developed a three-year strategic development plan with a mechanism, a main responsible department consisting of a committee or a subcommittee, funds and projects related for enhancing the well-being of the elders.   (iii) the process of enhancing the health of the seniors: in the process of enhancing the health of the elders, there are 3 types of actuations, namely, the process of implementing the project with participation if the community in all sectors of Maeka municipality based on the  resources  with 4m management and the process of enhancing the health of ban tom municipality emphasizing  self-reliance of the elderly group, carrying out activities in the form of an elderly club, a welfare provision,  a provision of an environment   ideal for   the well-being of the elderly people, and a building up knowledge  by providing knowledge training and health promotion among elderly people.

2. A creation of  mechanisms, policies and processes to enhance the well- being of the seniors in  the local administrative organizations, in Muang district, Phayao:   creating mechanisms, policies, and processes to enhance the well-being of the elderly group of the local administrative organization in Muang district, Phayao, is consistent with and linked to the constitutional law and the state’s policies on  the elders’ wellness that leads to the implementation of the national economic and social development plan, to the ministry of public health, department of local administration, Phayao provincial development plan, local development plan, local government organizations in Phayao.

3.Problems and obstacles in elderly care in local administrative organizations in Muang district, Phayao: (i) Phayao provincial administration organization: the problems and obstacles in elderly care in Phayao provincial administration organization are the provincial level ones. most of the problems will be solved jointly with the local government in the area of implementation with a solution of case-by-case assistance.  (ii) Maeka municipality, and Ban Tom municipality: with regard to the barriers for taking care of the seniors in the local administrative organizations. in the district of Muang Phayao province, there are four types of health problems, including physical health with residence of ill condition, social well-being with social problem in elderly society, building an understanding, accessing and participating in policy etc., mental well-being with mental health issues and stress, and intellectual well-being i.e. lacking of learning management, knowledge management, and deficiency of integration.