Problems and needs of community supports related to living in hardship among older people

Abstract

The number of older people is increasing, and they are prone to live in hardship due to chronic illness, and decreased self-help in activities of daily living. They also tend to live alone without being care by their children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the problems and the needs for community care of older people living in hardship using qualitative research methods. Observation, in-depth interview, document study and focus group discussion were employed for data collection. Data were analyzed by content analysis. A total of 85 informants were selected by a purposive sampling method, consisting of the representatives of 1) the public sector and local organizations, 2) health service units, 3) local administrative organizations, 4) local leaders, village headmen and related agencies, and 5) older people living in hardship and their family members. The results show that the problems and the needs for community care of older people were in the following 5 dimensions: 1) social dimension, 2) economic dimension, 3) environmental dimension, 4) health dimension and 5) political and governance dimension. The recommendations from the research were as follows: 1) The care of the community should respond to the problems and needs of caring for the older people living in hardship. 2) Organizing activities to instill values and responsibilities of gratitude toward the elderly in the new generation. They are the ones who preserve the traditional and cultural values see the value of the elderly and do not abandon them, and 3) make a plan for taking care of the elderly by creating cooperation from agencies in the area, including local government organizations health promotion hospitals, people and leaders in the community.