The Effect of Empowerment Program on Perceived Empowerment in the Caregivers of the Frail Elderly by the Community Participation Process in Phetchaburi Province

Abstract

          The purpose of the quasi-study research was to investigate the effect of the empowerment program on perceived empowerment among caregivers of the frail elderly through the community participation process. by selecting two specific areas in Phetchaburi province that need to be solved. They were divided into the experimental group and the comparison group, with each of the 30 people selected into the group by matchmaking according to gender, age, and caring experience at different times. The empowerment program was adapted per Fleury’s concept over a 6-week period in three steps. 1) assess readiness by identifying cognitive problems and family emotions towards the problem; 2) change the development goals and seek alternatives to address health problems; 3) integrate change to create and implement behavioral change plans; ideas modification and evaluation. All data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, and differences were compared by paired sample t-tests and independent t-tests.

        The results showed that the experimental group had power scores of perceived empowerments in terms of the ability to perform physical functions, cognitive ability in mental and social functioning, perception of disease or illness, and perception of the ability to manage disease or illness that were significantly higher than before the experiment (p. 05). This research was utilized to health professionals that an empowerment approach should be planned when enhancing perceived empowerment for the caregivers to care for frailty in older people in other areas.