Community Competence to Support Health Care Management for Elderly People Who Need Caregivers at Home

Abstract

     The purpose of this qualitative research was to estimate the capacity of communities to support home care services to elderly people in 14 health-promoting hospitals in Kantharawichai district of Mahasarakham Province. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus-group discussion, as well as both participant and non-participant observations from February to June 2021. The key informants were community leaders, care managers, government home caregivers, and family volunteer caregivers, for a total of 166 caregivers who took care of 25 elderly people living with chronic illnesses and 28 elderly people who were stuck at home from falls, hip and spine dislocations.

     The results showed that community leaders have set a community aging fund and coordinated with provincial continuing home care centers to support community aging home care. Community leaders also cooperated with health-promoting hospital personnel to support the elderly's health care management in their families. Family volunteer caregivers received training so they could develop their competencies for 1) health assessment, 2) giving medicines, 3) physical check and follow up 4) adjusting and renovating home and environment, 5) cooking and seeking appropriate foods, 6) assisting exercising for rehabilitation, 7) providing adequate sleep and rest, and 8) mental health management.

     Moreover, this research found that community leaders called for home renovation funding. They also provided elderly people with equipment and increased the hours of hospital caregivers for cooperating with family caregivers who had over workload.

Communities and Thai society, in general, need to develop the community caregivers’ knowledge and skills by training and encouraging them to form an effective network, notably through regular meetings with the community.