Abstract
The Evaluation of The Funeral Welfare ServiceFor The Improvement of Quality of Life of the Elderly People The study on "evaluation of the funeral welfare service for the improvement of quality of life of the elderly people" aimed to evaluate the work on the local funeral welfare, as well as to propose an appropriate operation of a local funeral welfare which will assist in the improvement of the quality of life of elderly people. The study was conducted in April - May 1999 by interviewing 383 elderly people, 81 local funeral welfare committee, and 9 responsible government officials. The study sites covered 9 provinces which included 36 localities in 18 districts. Below is the description of the brief results. Local people cooperatively initiated the local funeral welfare based on the existing cultural concept. The cooperation was formed not very long ago following other localities and having believed that this would increase a financial aid for the funeral. This service was formed in most localities. Concerning the service, there were classified into 2 categories which were official and unofficial funeral welfare. The former was established outside a locality but provided its services to cover localities, however, elderly people could not be its members. The latter was established to provide service to only members in that locality and its neighbors. It did not have a legal form of organization but provided the service based on needs. Most organizations were in this category and mot elderly people were the members. Regarding the location, the official funeral welfare had its organization located outside the locality, while the unofficial service had its organization located at a local welfare center and did not register legally. Its objective was to provide the funeral welfare and it had very flexible roles. The administration structure was composed of elected committees, including at least 2 village committees, out of which most of them were in a middle age and one fourth was the elderly. These committees had a very positive attitude toward the funeral welfare. The committees would assign a committee to be responsible for a funeral with a team of other 2 - 4 people. The funeral procedures were based on the legal process but no clear written procedures were recorded. However, the criteria for membership were set up clearly. There were 2 categories of members, in person and in a group. Most elderly people were in the former. The members needed to pay a membership fee of 20 Baht per person according to the law, however, this could be flexible depending on their financial status. It could be collected varies from 5-50 Baht and when a death occurred, the money for funeral welfare will be given within a day. After evaluating the services, it was found that the services were implemented in compliance with the legal standards. However, the local unofficial service was not in a good standard though it followed the legal procedures but the elderly people were satisfied with the services. This was because the services were in their needs, covered the entire locality, based on equality and elderly people could participate in the services. This service was potentially sustained. In term of problems, there was a problem associated with the funeral welfare service in some members' opinions as well as problems with the roles of the members and service procedures. The recommendations for the better funeral welfare service for the improvement of the quality of life of elderly people are that the quality of life of elderly people is developed by providing employment for local elderly people; that opportunity supporting a better relationship among elderly people and family is developed; and that health insurance for elderly people is thoroughly provided. In addition, an organization providing the local funeral welfare should be improved through the development of the knowledge resource and the better service system; and a policy is formulated to ensure the insurance after death for all elderly people.
