Guidelines on Mental Health Development for the elderly in Wang Mai Subdistrict Elderly School Na Yai Am District Chanthaburi Province

Abstract

           This research aimed to study guidelines on mental health development for the elderly from the elderly school in Wang Mai Sub-District, Na Yai Am District, Chanthaburi Province. The data was collected by interviewing 10 people including community leader, leader of local government organization, care manager of local government organization, health volunteer, representative of the elderly, spiritual leader, monk, teacher, representative of health personnel, or who was recommended by the target group. The selection criterion was being related to and taking part in working on the elderly development of elderly school in Wang Mai Sub-District, Na Yai Am District, Chanthaburi Province. The results were as follows:  

1. Health care for mental health development was to emphasize the holistic development, respond to the elders’ needs, arrange activities creating happiness and healthiness of the elders and emphasizing participation, provide health check and knowledge, change food, and teach physical exercises.


2. Mental care for mental health development was to provide the knowledge of morality on meditation, arrange a 5-dimensional-happiness activity emphasizing the naturalness that leaded the elders to participate in the discussion on knowledge, ideas, emotions, and mentality, emphasize creative activities that created smiles, brightness, and ability of conveyance, as well as developing the family members’ knowledge to understand the elders.


3. Social care for mental health development was, as the elders should be accepting and self-adjusting to the changing environment, to encourage the elders to be confident, visit bedridden patients, do a field trip, promote required job-trainings and outdoor activities emphasizing the family institution in caring to decrease the gap between the family members and to live in the community happily, including expanding the results of various activities from the elderly school into the village.