Sutham Nanthamongkolchai, Supaporn Tanta-Au, Pimsurang Taechaboonsermsak and Wanich Suksatan
Improving people’s quality of life (QoL) has become a prominent policy goal. However, nothing is known about how QoL evolves as people age, especially for those working in fruit…
Abstract
Purpose
Improving people’s quality of life (QoL) has become a prominent policy goal. However, nothing is known about how QoL evolves as people age, especially for those working in fruit orchards. This study aims to determine the associations of physical health and access to health services with QoL, and the factors predicting the QoL of older Thai adults working in fruit orchards.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 255 adults aged 60–69 years recruited through stratified random sampling. Data were collected through questionnaires. The collected data were then analyzed using the Chi-square test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis.
Findings
It was found that the study participants were generally physically healthy (36.5% at the “good” level and 56.5.5% at the moderate level) and generally had access to health services when they were most ill (78.2% at the “good” level and 21.8% at the moderate level). The overall QoL was good for 56.3% of the participants. The factors associated with and predicting the QoL of the participants were found to be social support, self-esteem and access to health services (p < 0.05), which were found to be capable of predicting the QoL of the participants with 35.1% accuracy.
Originality/value
On the basis of this study’s findings, it is suggested that agencies providing care for older adults organize activities to promote the good health and self-esteem of older adults, obtain social support for them and provide them with convenient access to health-care facilities to improve their QoL.
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Wanich Suksatan, Codey J. Collins, Apinya Koontalay and Vachira Posai
This paper aims to identify and examine burden(s) among stroke survivors’ familial caregivers for the purposes of future mitigation of such burdens. The purpose is so because…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify and examine burden(s) among stroke survivors’ familial caregivers for the purposes of future mitigation of such burdens. The purpose is so because these caregivers become the persons responsible for monitoring the daily living activities of their patients and are thus tasked with providing and managing a whole host of recovery, therapy and re-integrative activities to rebalance and re-establish the physical, mental and social well-being of patients.
Design/methodology/approach
This literature review summarized and synthesized existing literature about the burden(s) caregivers experience and the effects upon them across four primary spheres of influence.
Findings
Familial caregivers of stroke survivors suffer from high levels of “care burden” because they are the primary participant in the planning and provisioning of care to the patients. Care burden is examined across four primary spheres of influence: physical, psychological, social and economic impacts. The current review shows that familial caregivers experience substantive impacts across all four spheres.
Originality/value
A professional multidisciplinary team should support caregivers of stroke survivors. To do this, support should be considered among the patient’s overall family system, as well as expanded to address and consider the specifically designated caregivers’ social circles which at a minimum often consists of co-workers, friends and inter-familial relationships. Ideally, caregiver support would also consist of medical and professional case workers that can address further, and in an integrative delivery approach, all four of the highlighted spheres of influence to establish a “best practices” orientation to familial caregivers.