Community Welfare Management for Elderly People in Urban Communities, Prawet District Bangkok

Abstract

This research article has the purpose 1. to study the operational situation, problems and obstacles of community welfare arrangements for the elderly in urban communities, Prawet District, Bangkok. 2. To suggest guidelines for organizing community welfare for the elderly in the community using a qualitative research in two urban communities in Prawet District, Bangkok. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 20 target groups per community. Research results found that 1) Community welfare arrangements are divided into 4 important forms ;(1) Welfare Fund (2) Management of support resources from various sectors (3) Community help centers and (4) Other support activities, but there is no specific support for elderly care. 2) Problems and needs of the elderly in the community include: Insufficient income to cover expenses, health concerns, worrying about being a family responsibilities, unsuitable home or community environment, and lack of interaction within the community.The main finding is that community welfare is an important community mechanism for supporting the elderly in urban communities. However, there are still limitations in terms of support and sufficient potential to collaboratively address the needs of the elderly in urban communities. Therefore, relevant agencies should prioritize and support the capacity of community welfare systems.