ผู้วิจัย/Authors: Pirasak Sriruecha

ชื่อเรื่อง/Title: Happy life of the elderly in a village of Knon kaen Province : A case study of Ban kai an of Muang District

แหล่งที่มา/Source: Journal of Health Science, Vol. 11 No. 1 January-March 2002. P. 44

รายละเอียด / Details:

This research primarily aimed to explore the happy life of the elderly in a village of khon kaen. As a village case-study design this study employed different qualitative data collection techniques including community study life history study in-depth interview participant observation and informal interview from the middle of October 2000 to February 2001. The study site Ban Kai Na in Muang District was selected purposively with regard to its size and other social and cultural characteristics to ensure that the villagers had close social distance and lone studied in 7 elderly, 3 males and 4 females whose ages were 70 or over. The results revealed the role of the elderly was still active socially culturally and economically under some contributing factors (I.e. perceived health status previous role, role of gender and peers, family support and social expectation.) Their major roles included a master of religious ceremony peacekeeping of a village through the village rules and regulations supplementary economic role socialization and key informant in tradition and religious affairs. The elderly viewed the happy life with slight diversity as the holistic pleasurable condition of both physical and mental wellness with the absence of suffering bereavement or Dhukka, peaceful and self-subsistent. Most of them placed more value on inside tranquility than outside physical comfort. The elderly with a happy life was regarded as a merciful person. How happy life of an individual was, was truly subjective and based on the result of the comparison with condition of others who were at the same or similar position. Belief about the causes of having a happy life was related to the belief about merit or Boon in past lives, and life fate or Wasana and Kamma (the law of action) that one performed both in present and previous lives. The components of happy life included good health, (I.e. absence of chronic illness and enough physical vigor), economic self-subsistence, ability to make merit ability to help others, and living in a good community. The socio-cultural contexts surrounding the elderly happy life included the close kinship system, social and family system that gives positive value to the elderly under the influence of Buddhism, agrarian society that need co-operation among villagers, old and small clustered community. The results suffused that the elderly should be provided with both medical and social service programs that are culturally relevant and extended to grass root level coving all aspects of happy life through empowering family, and community to function. Institutional welfare service should be minimal as needed. It is also suggested to develop social indicator for a happy life of the Thai elderly.

Keywords: elderly, happy life, mental health, happy, psychology

ปีที่เผยแพร่/Year: 2002

Address: Health Technical Office, Ministry of Public Health

Code: 0000120

ISSN/ISBN: 0858-4923

Country of publication: Thailand.

Language: English.

Category: Abstract Journal.

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