Development of Activity Sets to Promote Learning and Well-Being Among the Elderly in U-Thong District Suphan Buri Province, Through the Use of Creative Music Innovation

Abstract

This research aimed to develop activity sets and examine its effectiveness designed to promote learning and well-being among the elderly in U-Thong District, Suphan Buri Province, through the use of creative music innovation.

The study employed a mixed-method research approach, combining qualitative and experimental methods. Ten key informants contributed to the development of the creative music innovation, comprising three senior artists with specialized knowledge and seven representatives of traditional folk music genres: Reua song, Ten Kam song, Pisatharn song, Ra Bum Ban Rai songs, Isaeo song, Puang Malai song and Choi song, with one representative for each genre. A total of 29 individuals, including the U-Thong district chief, assistant public health officers, and representatives responsible for senior citizen activities from 22 sub-district health-promoting hospitals, participated in the development of the activity sets. The experimental phase involved 25 elderly adults in the pilot study and 125 elderly adults from five subdistricts (25 participants per sub-district) for the broader implementation.

The research findings are as follows:

(1) The development of activity set to promote learning and well-being among the elderly in U-Thong District through creative music innovation revealed that the creative music innovation, derived from the unique folk music identity of Suphan Buri Province, focused on the Sroi Suphan song. The composition consisted of four parts: the Sroi melody, the invocation melody, the village dance melody, and the garland melody. The musical composition was based on pentatonic scales and employed folk dance rhythms. Movements accompanying the music were adapted from seven exercises in the E75 Senior Fitness Program by the Department of Health, including hand clenching with foot stamping, cross-step movements, upper and lower arm movements with square steps, and other dynamic gestures. The evaluation of the creative music innovation indicated the highest level of appropriateness overall. The activity sets comprised four sub-activities: 1) learning about Suphan Buri’s folk music, 2) singing the Sroi Suphan song, 3) performing movements to the Sroi Suphan song, and 4) promoting learning and well-being among the elderly through creative music innovation. The activity sets were rated highly appropriate overall (M = 4.64).

(2) The effect of activity sets to promote learning and well-being among the elderly in U-Thong District through creative music innovation yielded the following results: (2.1) The effect of activity set to promote learning and well-being among the elderly in U-Thong District through creative music innovation in the pilot study revealed that: 1) The elderly’s learning achievement improved significantly after using the activity sets with a statistically significant difference at the .05 level. 2) Physical well-being results showed that 60% of older adults had higher systolic blood pressure, 56% had higher diastolic blood pressure, and 68% had higher pulse rates after using the activity sets. However, the pulse rates remained within the normal range. In terms of mental well-being, 32% of older adults reported increased happiness, and 56% experienced reduced depression levels. And 3) Overall satisfaction of the elderly towards the activity sets was rated at the highest level (M = 4.85). (2.2) The effect of activity set to promote learning and well-being among the elderly in U-Thong District through creative music innovation in the broader implementation revealed that: 1) The elderly’s learning achievement improved significantly after using the activity sets with a statistically significant difference at the .05 level. 2) Regarding physical well-being results, it revealed that the average systolic and diastolic blood pressures before using the activity sets were 128.31 mmHg and 76.43 mmHg, respectively, with an average pulse rate of 76.86 beats per minute. After using the activity sets, it found that the averages increased to 138.58 mmHg for systolic pressure, 81.05 mmHg for diastolic pressure, and 84.20 beats per minute for pulse rate. Furthermore, when comparing blood pressure with pulse rate before and after using the activity set, it revealed that 77.6% of older adults had higher systolic blood pressure, 68.8% had higher diastolic blood pressure, and 80% had higher pulse rates after using the activity sets. In the aspect of mental well-being, it found that it improved with an average happiness score increase from 4.13 to 4.71 and a decrease in the average depression score from 4.86 to 4.20. Comparisons showed that 32% of the elderly experienced increased happiness, and 24% reported reduced depression. And 3) Overall satisfaction of the elderly towards the activity sets with the activity sets was rated at the highest level (M = 4.62).