Happiness Pattems of the Elderty in Nakhon Pathom Province

Abstract

          The objectives of this article were: 1) to examine happiness patterns of the elderly in Nakhon Pathom province; 2) to study factors influencing happiness patterns of the elderly in Nakhon Pathom province; and 3) to read up on development guidelines of happiness patterns of the elderly in Nakhon Pathom province. This research was a qualitative and quantitative research as follows: qualitative research consisted of 15 key informants and conducted by participant observation and in-depth interviews along with data analysis by analogy and interpretation; quantitative research consisted of 400 people including a questionnaire was used as a research tool with a reliability of 0.92, data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation and stepwise regression analysis.
          The finding indicates that: 1) the overall happiness of the elderly in Nakhon Pathom province is at a high level, when considering each aspect, the most at a high level is economic stability, followed by social relations and the environment; 2) factors influencing happiness patterns of the elderly found economic stability (β = 0.141), social relations (β = 0.135) and the environment (β = 0.129) by the equation has a predictive power of 89 percent; and 3) the development guidelines of happiness patterns of the elderly in Nakhon Pathom province is to create knowledge and understanding among families and communities along with relates agencies as the main agency to develop the public health system to have both quality, efficiency and good potential; this is to support the aging society to have a medical facility, access to good treatment and access to medicines for the elderly to have good physical, mental health and continue to live happily.