Improving the quality of life of dependent ageing by caregivers certificated of CG Expert course

Abstract

     This action research aimed to study the quality of life and happiness index of dependent elderly people in Rasi Salai District, Sisaket Province, through the development of health literacy for elderly caregivers and a 1-week CG expert training course. The research instruments were the assessment of the quality of life of the elderly, consisting of the Thai version of the WHO Quality of Life Scale with a reliability of 0.81 and the Happiness Index Scale with a reliability of 0.74, conducted the study between November 2023 and August 2024. The sample group was selected using a simple random sampling method, consisting of 99 elderly caregivers and 338 dependent elderly people, data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
     The results found that dependent elderly people who were cared for by trained caregivers had a quality of life at a moderate level at 56.4 percent, followed by a high quality of life at 37.0 percent, and a low quality of life at 6.6 percent, with an average score of 3.55 (S.D. = 0.392). The mean quality of life score increased significantly at the p=0.000 level (t=10.193, p<0.001). The happiness index was at a normal level at 44.69 percent, followed by a risky happiness index at 40.66 percent, and a good happiness index at 14.65 percent. The overall happiness index score had an average score of 29.96 points (S.D. = 6.265), and the happiness index score increased significantly at the p=0.000 level (t = 20.397, p<0.001).