Community-Engaged Traditional Folk Music Recreational Activities for the Elderly to Promote Sustainable Well-being

Abstract

The purposes of this research article were 1) to develop a format for organizing folk music playing activities for the elderly with participation leading to the creation of a manual for organizing folk music playing activities for the elderly; and 2) to evaluate the appropriateness of the manual for organizing folk music playing activities for the elderly with participation and evaluating satisfaction after participating folk music playing activities for the elderly group. The group of volunteers in this research included 60 elderly who were listed in Wat Phrik Elderly School, Wat Phrik Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phitsanulok Province by purposive sampling according to the specified criteria. The research instrument was an interview form on experiences of using folk music among elderly people in the area, form for evaluating the appropriateness of folk music activities for the elderly and satisfaction assessment form after participating in folk music activities for the elderly. The results of the research found that 1) a music activity format for the elderly was obtained that truly met the needs of the elderly group. There was a process for developing activity format based on behavioral studies, social activities, context of living space, way of life, potential and needs in music including brainstorming the opinions of the elderly people groups in the area to adapt and combine with folk games of the central region to develop into a manual for folk music playing activities for the elderly; 2) the results from evaluating the appropriateness of the manual for organizing folk music playing activities for the elderly by all 3 experts were the most appropriate at the average level of 4.87. In terms of designing this manual for organizing folk music playing activities for the elderly, the researcher has taken into account the use of language that was easy to understand, the letters were large, colorful and attractive, which can really be used by the elderly group and the results of the satisfaction assessment after participating in the local music playing activities of the volunteer group were most satisfied at the average level of 4.83.