Dataset Information

Active ageing - perspectives on health, participation, and security among older adults in northeastern Thailand - a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Health, participation, and security are the basic pillars of active ageing suggested by the WHO. The concept is used by professionals but requires exploration from the perspectives of older people themselves. This study aims to explore how older adults experience and describe health, participation, and security.

Methods

A qualitative research approach was used based on open-ended interviews with 20 older Thai adults aged 60-92?years. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

The results showed perspectives related to experiences of daily life and local culture. Health while ageing, was described as the absence of barriers to continued daily living, combined with a peaceful and adaptive mindset. Participation was described as maintaining social networks and being a formal volunteer, with an emphasis on the "making of merits", of meaningful activities and being respected. Security was described as manageable living conditions and managing to finalize life well by balancing dependency and independency in relation to children to sustain the traditional value of gratitude between generations.

Conclusions

These understandings will support healthy policy planning by providing resources and activities that relate to older Thai adults' perspectives of health, participation and security and ultimately contribute to a better quality of life.

SUBMITTER: Wongsala M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7802255 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Active ageing - perspectives on health, participation, and security among older adults in northeastern Thailand - a qualitative study.

Wongsala Manothai M Anbäcken Els-Marie EM Rosendahl Sirpa S

BMC geriatrics 20210112 1

<h4>Background</h4>Health, participation, and security are the basic pillars of active ageing suggested by the WHO. The concept is used by professionals but requires exploration from the perspectives of older people themselves. This study aims to explore how older adults experience and describe health, participation, and security.<h4>Methods</h4>A qualitative research approach was used based on open-ended interviews with 20 older Thai adults aged 60-92 years. The interviews were analysed using q ...[more]

PMID: 33430777

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Mindfulness practice and exercise are ways by which older adults can improve and maintain their physical, emotional and cognitive health. METHODS:This single-site qualitative study gathered insights of older adults' perceptions about initiating and maintaining mindfulness and exercise practices. We carried out focus groups with 41 adults aged 65-85 who had recently initiated Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), structured exercise, or their combination as part of participation in a clinical trial. We used a semi-structured interview to ask them open-ended questions regarding the benefits, barriers and facilitators of participating in mindfulness and/or exercise interventions. The interview also included questions regarding translation of these practices into community settings as well as the long-term maintenance potential of these practices. RESULTS:Older adults indicated that the mindfulness training increased their awareness and self-reflection and fostered a more self-accepting attitude. Furthermore, they improved their self-care habits and reported having better familial and social relationships. The main barrier for both the exercise and Mindfulness group was time management. The social benefits and sense of community were some of the primary motivators for older adults in the exercise and/or MBSR interventions. However, the research on how to motivate older adults to initiate healthy behavioral changes also needs to be answered. The benefits of exercise and MBSR are a motivation in and of themselves, as indicated by some of the participants. CONCLUSIONS:This study indicates that mindfulness training and exercise can serve as tools to cultivate important health lifestyle qualities among older adults, who are in the midst of mental, social, emotional and physical change. If it were not for the purpose of the research or the incentives provided by the research team, these older adults may have never started the healthy behavioral changes. From the responses, this may indicate that older adults may need more incentives to begin and maintain behavioral changes other than for their own health benefit.

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Dataset Information

Active ageing - perspectives on health, participation, and security among older adults in northeastern Thailand - a qualitative study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Active ageing - perspectives on health, participation, and security among older adults in northeastern Thailand - a qualitative study.

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