ประสบการณ์การดูแลผู้สูงอายุของผู้ดูแลในยุคปกติวิถีใหม่

Kittisak Kumpeera; Somsak Thojampa; Roongtiva Boonpracom; Amaraporn Puraya; Sirikanok Klankhajhon

Authors

Kittisak Kumpeera Lecturer, Faculty of Nursing, Naresuan University
Somsak Thojampa Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Naresuan University
Roongtiva Boonpracom Lecturer, Faculty of Nursing, Naresuan University
Amaraporn Puraya Lecturer, Faculty of Nursing, Naresuan University
Sirikanok Klankhajhon Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Naresuan University

Keywords:

Nursing administration, Caregivers, Older adults, New normal era

Abstract

Thailand and the global community are rapidly transitioning into an aging society, facing challenges of health vulnerability, caregiver shortages, and the impacts of pandemics, which underline the necessity to develop appropriate care systems and nursing management in the new normal context. This qualitative research aimed to explore caregivers’ experiences in caring for older adults in the new normal era. A descriptive phenomenological approach, based on Husserl’s philosophy, was employed. Data were collected from 15 caregivers of older adults in Chom Thong Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phitsanulok Province, using in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and field notes. Data analysis was conducted using Colaizzi’s method.
The findings revealed four key themes of caregivers’ experiences: 1) preventive competence of caregivers during the pandemic, 2) communication for building trust in caregiving amidst crisis, 3) development of digital skills and utilization of medical devices to support elderly care, and 4) financial management for older adults’ care during crisis situations. The results indicate that caregivers faced multiple burdens, challenges, and adaptation demands. Gaining insights into these experiences provides an in-depth understanding of older individual caregiving phenomena in the new normal era, and offers valuable evidence to inform nursing administration, health care system development, and policy planning to prepare for future emerging diseases in aging societies.

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