A CARING COMMUNITY: EXPERIENCES OF COMMUNITY-BASED ELDERLY CARE AT BAAN CHUEN SUK, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE, THAILAND

Abstract

This study aimed to: 1) examine the operational processes of Ban Chuen Suk in providing care for older persons and assess its outcomes for older persons and the formation of a care community; 2) analyze the factors contributing to its successful implementation; and 3) propose guidelines for advancing community-based eldercare and developing a care community. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study employed the ethics of care and care community as its conceptual and analytical frameworks. Twenty-three key informants were purposively selected. Data were collected primarily through in-depth interviews and analyzed using content and thematic analyses. The findings indicated that Ban Chuen Suk, operating as a community-based day-care center for older persons, contributed to reducing social isolation and enhancing the physical and psychological well-being of at-risk older persons. Its operations also facilitated the active engagement of local network partners, thereby fostering a care community in which community members collectively assumed responsibility for promoting older persons’ quality of life. The principal factors underpinning its success comprised the community’s accumulated experience and knowledge of eldercare; a shared vision recognizing the value and potential of older persons; strong leadership; meaningful participation among network partners; the provision of services responsive to older persons’ needs; and a community culture grounded in care and compassion. The findings further suggest that the advancement of a care community should prioritize the development of a care ecosystem that connects older persons, their families, and relevant network partners through an integrated care system. Such a system comprises three interrelated dimensions: 1) people and social relationships; 2) care systems and mechanisms; and 3) learning and sustainability. The dynamic interaction and mutual reinforcement of these dimensions contribute to the formation of a sustainable care community that recognizes the human dignity of older persons within the community.