Improving the Quality of Social Life by Developing Positive Values for Coexistence among the Elderly to Enhance Happiness in Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province

Author(s): Nawasanan Wongprasit, Ekkachai Chaiyadha

This research was mixed method research aiming at: 1) Exploring the current situation, problems, and solutions for quality of social life by developing positive values among the elderly coexistence to enhance happiness in Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province; 2) Developing a program to improve quality of social life by developing positive values among the elderly coexistence to enhance happiness in Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province. The qualitative sample consisted of 19 elderly people or their families, professional nurses from sub-district health promotion hospitals, monks, local government executives, village headmen or sub-district headmen, village health volunteers, and health promoting schoolteachers. The quantitative sample consisted of 291 elderly people or their families. The instruments used were in-depth interviews and questionnaires. Data gathered were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The study results found that: 1) In the existing situation, the elderly still lacked knowledge and understanding in how to live happily with others. Some liked to be alone, had their own privacy, did not like to socialize with others, and had grandchildren to take care of. The solution is suggested for the local administrative organizations, sub-district health-promoting hospitals and schools in the sub-district that they should cooperate in organizing training to provide knowledge and understanding of positive values and happy coexistence to the elderly, students or family members or those who are interested, and then go back to expand the results and advise others in the family to be aware of the changes in the current era at least 1-2 times a year. The supportive elements for the elderly happiness are good thoughts, good health, good society, and good environment. 2) The program for developing positive values and happy coexistence for the elderly consisted of training on positive values, group work and thinking about what you wanted to happen or your vision in the community, experimentation and monitoring the results. The result of the group activity was that the elderly want to meet and participate in activities and create products that generate more income from local wisdom to promote happy coexistence. The scores were collected before and after joining the program. It was found that the average score of social quality of life by developing positive values towards the elderly after the program trial was 0.08 higher than before the program trial. Therefore, this program was able to use for enhancing the quality of social life by developing positive values towards the elderly coexistence to enhance happiness.