Experience of Grandchildren in Caring for Older Adult in Thai Family

This qualitative study aimed to understand and explain the experience of grandchildren caring for an older adult in family in long term care regarding the socio-cultural context in the North of Thailand. This research is based on the focused ethnographic study in the area of Tambon in, Lampang Province. The informants were 15 grandchildren in three-generation families. The data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, document study, and field note. Triangulation was used to verify the quality of data and the validity of the data obtained from the informants and was confirmed by the experienced qualitative researchers. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings of the study consisted of two issues as follows: 1) The experience of grandchildren caring for older adult in the family can be divided into 5 patterns: (1) thought, belief, health aspects, and spiritual anchor, (2) the awareness, (3) health care experience, (4) practices, (5) the form of care, and 2) Related factors in accordance with the experience of grandchildren caring for older adult in the family including (1) understanding, (2) expectation, and (3) result of the elderly care. The results could provide as follows: 1) Nursing education proposal realizes the importance of transferring, cultivating traditions, culture in the family and society that is inherited which affects the health care of the family members is a psychological anchor used in everyday life, continued generation to generation. 2) Policy proposals to promote support and create guidelines for caring the older adult in the family continuously and sustainably. Realizing the benefits and importance of being supported, conveying practices from parents and close relationships with grandparents and the expectation of non-financial care from their children, but as love and gratitude attached to the next generation