Model of elderly caregivers potential development at Yang Talat Hospital.

Abstract

      This action research aimed to (1) examine the caregiving capacity of family caregivers of older adults and (2) develop a model for enhancing the caregiving capacity of caregivers at Yangtalad Hospital. The sample consisted of 55 caregivers of older adults receiving services at the hospital. The study was conducted over a three-month period from September to November 2025. Data were collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data analysis included content analysis, frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and dependent t-test to compare caregivers’ understanding of elderly care and their health literacy before and after the intervention.

      The findings revealed that the model for enhancing caregivers’ capacity consisted of three components: (1) assessment of older adults’ functional ability using the Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living (ADL), (2) guidelines for elderly care, and (3) the roles and responsibilities of caregivers. After implementing the model, caregivers’ overall and domain-specific health literacy increased to the highest level. Their understanding of the 4 Smart behavioral practices “No fall, No forget, No depression, and Enjoy eating “also improved to the highest level. Furthermore, a comparison of caregivers’ understanding of the 4 Smart behaviors before and after the intervention showed statistically significant differences at the 0.05 level. The study suggests that a structured and practical capacity-building model can effectively improve caregivers’ health literacy and promote appropriate caregiving behaviors for older adults in the community.