Development of Food and Nutritional Management Among Elderly Group in Khao Rup Chang Sub-District Muang District, Songkhla province

Abstract

          This participatory action research aimed to analyze the nutritional situation and develop  a food and nutritional management model using the mother’s food guideline for the elderly group: Khao Rup Chang sub-district. The sample were local administrative organization executives, community leaders, village health volunteers, and older adults who were vulnerable to nutritional status in the area of Khao Rup Chang sub-district, Muang district, Songkhla province. This research was implemented in 1 year from October 2018 to September 2019. Qualitative data collected was verified using Lincoln & Guba method including 1) credibility, 2) transferability, 3) dependability and 4) conformability. Triangulations, mixed methods of collecting data, and debriefing were used to confirm data precision.  Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.

          The result revealed that the overall, older adults had normal nutritional status. For the synthesis of the development of food and nutritional management model using mother’s food guideline: Khao Rup Chang sub-district, it was found that local administrative organizations including Khao Rup Chang municipality, sub-district health promoting hospital, and Khao Rup Chang elderly club implemented the meetings for planning and listening to public concerns, networking, sharing information and doing people forum. This implementation was based on the participatory action in accordance with 3 dimensions of mother’s food guideline including clean food, good nutrition and made with love. As a result, 7 projects were implemented namely, 3 projects under the dimension of clean food, 2 projects under the dimension of good nutrition and 2 projects under the dimension of made with love. From research findings, local administrative organizations were well aware of nutritional and food management for the target groups. Development of policy for community’s sustainable nutritional promotion was also initiated.