The purpose of this qualitative study, conducted in Thailand, was to identify strategies for older adults to live alone happily, with dignity, security, and independence. Purposive sampling techniques were used to rec...The purpose of this qualitative study, conducted in Thailand, was to identify strategies for older adults to live alone happily, with dignity, security, and independence. Purposive sampling techniques were used to recruit participants from 12 provinces throughout Thailand. The sample included three groups： older Thai people living alone （n = 1,087）, clinician who working with Thai older adults （n = 149）, and administrators working in aged care and support services in Thailand （n = 83）. Data were collected using structured interview guides. Content analysis was used to identify and develop the study findings. Most of the older Thai people living alone were single, widowed or divorced with few wanting to remain living alone. The large majority of participants needed government assistance to manage their activities of daily living including access to health and public services. Participants wanted aged care and support services to assist with their living arrangements, organise community activities, and provide home visits. Moreover, they wanted their families to visit them and provide financial support and care for them when they were ill. These older adults experienced living alone positively and negatively. Some participants felt proud, dignified, and independent. Other participants felt that living alone resulted in poorer health status, particularly emotional problems, especially for those who were not living alone by choice. These participants reported feeling lonely, bored, irritated, sad, and sorrowful. This group of older Thai adults had limited interaction with their families and the wider community. From this study, four strategies were identified to assist older Thai adults to live alone happily, safely and with a sense of dignity, security, and value. These strategies are： ensuring individual choice, maintaining family support, developing community value, and advocating for over-arching government policy support of aged care. A high number of older adults live alone in Thailand and this presents a big challenge for both these individuals and the community in which they live. If this important group in Thai society is to live alone happily and successfully, it needs to be additional assistance to ensure they are supported by families, communities, and government departments.展开更多
The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of elite interviewing and identify key factors that ensure success for qualitative researchers. The authors draw on their own experiences of interviewing powerfu...The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of elite interviewing and identify key factors that ensure success for qualitative researchers. The authors draw on their own experiences of interviewing powerful and influential members of government and various professions as well as tips from experienced researchers from the fields of social sciences and health. They identify five essential steps to successful interviewing： （1） identifying the key informants; （2） negotiating access; （3） background research and preparation; （4） site selection, presentation questioning approach, and execution; and （5） follow-up. Each of them is discussed in detail. The authors argue that the most important quality for the elite interviewer is self-management which involves developing an individual style of interviewing that is responsive to setbacks and unexpected opportunities展开更多
文摘The purpose of this qualitative study, conducted in Thailand, was to identify strategies for older adults to live alone happily, with dignity, security, and independence. Purposive sampling techniques were used to recruit participants from 12 provinces throughout Thailand. The sample included three groups： older Thai people living alone （n = 1,087）, clinician who working with Thai older adults （n = 149）, and administrators working in aged care and support services in Thailand （n = 83）. Data were collected using structured interview guides. Content analysis was used to identify and develop the study findings. Most of the older Thai people living alone were single, widowed or divorced with few wanting to remain living alone. The large majority of participants needed government assistance to manage their activities of daily living including access to health and public services. Participants wanted aged care and support services to assist with their living arrangements, organise community activities, and provide home visits. Moreover, they wanted their families to visit them and provide financial support and care for them when they were ill. These older adults experienced living alone positively and negatively. Some participants felt proud, dignified, and independent. Other participants felt that living alone resulted in poorer health status, particularly emotional problems, especially for those who were not living alone by choice. These participants reported feeling lonely, bored, irritated, sad, and sorrowful. This group of older Thai adults had limited interaction with their families and the wider community. From this study, four strategies were identified to assist older Thai adults to live alone happily, safely and with a sense of dignity, security, and value. These strategies are： ensuring individual choice, maintaining family support, developing community value, and advocating for over-arching government policy support of aged care. A high number of older adults live alone in Thailand and this presents a big challenge for both these individuals and the community in which they live. If this important group in Thai society is to live alone happily and successfully, it needs to be additional assistance to ensure they are supported by families, communities, and government departments.
文摘The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of elite interviewing and identify key factors that ensure success for qualitative researchers. The authors draw on their own experiences of interviewing powerful and influential members of government and various professions as well as tips from experienced researchers from the fields of social sciences and health. They identify five essential steps to successful interviewing： （1） identifying the key informants; （2） negotiating access; （3） background research and preparation; （4） site selection, presentation questioning approach, and execution; and （5） follow-up. Each of them is discussed in detail. The authors argue that the most important quality for the elite interviewer is self-management which involves developing an individual style of interviewing that is responsive to setbacks and unexpected opportunities
