Abstract:
This study aimed to meet the following objectives: 1) to study community conditions, structure and systems in preparation for aging society in the central region of Thailand, 2) to study community preparation guidelines for aging society, ) to apply Buddhist principles to link networks for aging society in the central region of Thailand, and 4) to present a community preparation model for aging society in the central region of Thailand. The study was qualitative research involving the study of documents and in-depth interviews with 29 informants including monks and lay people. The instruments employed in the study were in-depth interview forms, data analysis included qualitative and content analysis.
The research findings revealed as follows:
1) Community conditions, structure and community preparation Systems for aging society in the Central Region of Thailand indicated that there were two types of community conditions, namely urban society in which the majority of the population is engaged in vending/trade and general hire. In rural society, most of the population is engaged in agricultural livelihoods such as rice farming where lifestyles are based on sufficiency, most of the elderly people stayed home alone and had the task of raising their grandchildren. Senior citizens clubs have been established with schools for the elderly and groups for partial independent living and dependent living elderly. Care managers and caregivers are provided, and there are tambon (sub-district) and NHSO budgets. The community preparation system for an aging society has acted in line with national policy. In addition, care has been given to the environments of the elderly with home improvements for impoverished elderly and promotion of employment for elderly people seeking supplemental income.
2) Community preparation guidelines for aging society in the central region of Thailand began with identifying problems such as studying the situation of the problems and roles of the elderly with policy from the national level in solving the problems of the elderly and consistent policy at the provincial, district and local policy levels. After that, information was prepared for the elderly, who were categorized into three groups, namely independent living, partial independent living and dependent living, to manage by group. Practice guidelines for the care of elderly are divided into the following six dimensions: 1. Health and medical treatment; 2. Income; 3. Living accommodations; 4. Recreation; 5. Social, family, caregiver and protection security and 6. Building of support service networks.
3) Strategic methods have been set in place for strengthening the work performed, namely social networks, community participation and community strength are essential. This includes the application of Buddhist principles with the elderly, namely the four aspects of self-development (Bhavana 4) or the holistic Buddhist health status model for physical development, mental development, moral development and intellectual development, and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism for people to let go and practice Dharma.
4)The community preparation model for aging society in the central region of Thailand (3P/SM/1B Model) began with studies of the problems faced by the elderly (P: problem base) with policy for performing work involving the elderly (P: policy) from the government and every agency as well as practice guidelines as a driving force (P: practice) in the following nine areas: health, income, home, recreation, social security (family, caregivers and protection, services for the elderly, elderly centers, contextual area care and pre-aging preparations for handling an aging society from childhood. In community preparations for handling a sustainable aging society, strong communities are essential (S), which means guidelines for building sustainability byusing social networks to handle Thailands aging society composed of social networks, community participation, community strength and good management composed of M (4M) in preparing people (manpower)/equipment (materials)/budgets (money)/management and multi-dimensional actions based on Buddhist morality (B), which means the four developmental principles (Bhavana 4) (holistic Buddhist health) and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism with application to every aspect of the lifestyles of the elderly.