The Development of a Holistic Elderly Care Model for Wat Mai Thung Kha Community Clinic, Rattaphum District, Songkhla Province
Keywords:
Elderly, Holistic Care, Village Health VolunteerAbstract
The research and development project aimed (1) to examine the conditions and problems in elderly care, and (2) to develop a holistic elderly care model. The study consisted of 3 phases. Phase 1 investigated the current situation and problems in elderly care using a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with 32 key informants, including nurses, village health volunteers, and older adults. A semi-structured interview guide was used, and the data were analyzed using content analysis. Phase 2 involved developing the model based on findings from Phase 1, followed by an evaluation of its appropriateness and feasibility by six experts using a five-point rating scale. The Content Validity Index (CVI) of all items was 1.00. Phase 3 evaluated the effectiveness of the model. The sample group consisted of 19 elderly individuals, and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test.
The results showed that 1) elderly care in the study area covered four dimensions-physical, psychological, social, and spiritual-driven primarily through elderly clubs and collaboration between nurses and village health volunteers. Various holistic health-promoting activities were provided, such as exercise, health education, health screening, home visits, and spiritual activities including praying and merit-making. Village health volunteers played a vital role in individual care, including blood pressure measurement, finger-prick blood tests, medication support, assistance with daily activities, physical rehabilitation, emotional support, and coordination for medical services, as well as facilitating religious and social engagement. Most older adults reported receiving appropriate care from nurses and volunteers; however, some expressed the need for more frequent home visits and continuous follow-up. Overall, elderly care was holistic but still limited in coverage and consistency of home visits. 2) The model developed from the study was the H-CARE 360° Holistic Elderly Model. 3) A comparison of pre- and post-implementation outcomes showed statistically significant improvements at the .001 level.
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