Abstract:
The objectives of this research were to survey and compare quality of life and educational needs for enhancing quality of life as well as to propose educational guidelines for enhancing quality of life of the elderly in Bangkok Metropolis. A survey using questionnaire was employed to 450 elderly selected as samples. SPSS program was utilized to analyze the collected data using percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA and scheffe, test. A focus group discussion was also organized to collect data concerning educational guidelines. The research findings were as follows: 1. The elderly perceived that moral was the only dimension of quality of life that was at good level. Four dimensions of quality of life; namely, intelligence, physical environment, health, and social, were at moderate level. As for economic, it was perceived as fair. 2. Education that the elderly indicated they moderately needed were those which would enhance their health, physical environment, moral, intelligence, and social while they rarely needed education on economic. 3. There were statistically significant differences at 0.05 level between quality of lives of the elderly with different sexes, ages, educational levels, marital status, income, household ownership, resident areas, dependencies, personal health, having health insurance, and being member of the elderly clubs. 4. Comparison of needs for education to enhance quality of life showed statistically significant differences at 0.05 level between the elderly with different sexes, ages, marital status, income, household ownership, resident areas, dependencies, and being member of the elderly clubs. 5. The elderly participating in a focus group discussion suggested that they preferred to have information as educational activities rather than skill training and academic knowledge. Most of them gave reason that information concerning health, physical environment, intelligence, economic, moral, and social dimensions of quality of life would be useful for their daily lives