Development of a Model of Non-Formal Education Activities Based on Contemplative Education Approach to Enhance Well-Being of The Elderly

Abstract

This research article was to propose a model of non-formal education activities, having the purposes to study the state, of problems, and the needs of the elderly people that related to enhance the well-being; develop and study the results by using the developed model of non-formal education activities based on contemplative education approach to enhance well-being of the elderly. The researcher developed the activities and the handbook of non-formal education activity according to the contemplative approach; and applied to the elderly people who live in Bangkok. In this research, the samples of the case study were 42 elderly who volunteered to participate in the experiment and the subject reside in the area of Bon Gai, 20 of them were in the experimental group and 22 were in the controlled group. The major findings were as follows: the elderly people had physical and mental problems that they couldn’t accept themselves of being an old age. To adjust themselves the elderly required the physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being; from the results by using the activities model showed the enhancement in well-being of the elderly in the experimental group. The subject means scores after experiment were higher than before the experiment at .05 level of significance; and the supporting factors were including the deep-listening, the open-minded, experienced facilitator of contemplation and components of the activities model and the conditions were the physical health and the participation of learners, the comprehension of the assessment form and natural environment of training place.