GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STANDARDS OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN SAMUT PRAKAN PROVINCE

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate operations and obstacles in providing services including guidelines for developing services to the elderly based on operational standards for elderly care under the Local Government Organizations in Samut Prakan Province. The mixed research methodology was applied. In the part of quantitative research design, 174 persons who have worked related to elderly service were the research sample. In the part of qualitative research design, 6 administrators from the Local Government Organizations were interviewed using semi-structured in-depth interview. The quantitative research results were revealed that personnel were highly involved in elderly affairs (83.3%). Additionally, problems and obstacles of elderly services based on operational standards for elderly care were moderately scored at 2.73. Moreover, the samples expressed their opinions on guidelines for developing elderly services based on operational standards for elderly care scoring at 4.21. They also added that easy-to-access service development should be prioritized. The qualitative research results were parallel to the quantitative ones for all topics. These research findings showed that government agencies should promote elderly operations based on operational standards for elderly care under Local Government Organizations. This was to ensure that personnel working in the similar direction, showing their high performance, and defining operational standard based on the relevant laws.   In addition, operations on elderly services should be enhanced and integrated with related networks. Besides those mentions, some laws and regulation should probably be improved in terms of decentering power to the Local Government Organizations. So, those organizations could manage their own responsibilities of service operations for the elderly and learn about the elderly’s need based on each region.

            cooperation in geriatric operations should be enhanced by integrating joint operations, with laws, regulations, and procedures adjusted by decentralizing authority and management duties for older residents to local government organizations. This should facilitate local government organization operations in serving geriatric residents and meeting their needs regionally.