Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

The elderly club is implemented as a space to uncover the best in older people. Its main approach is to apply a variety of participation activities, prepared by relevant organizations, for the elderly. Even though such activities are highly promoted, it is revealed that the elderly, depending on whether they are a club member or non-member, receive more or less attention and tend to participate or not participate in club activities.Thus, this work reflects the elderly’s perspectives toward such situations by analyzing the capacity development of elderly club activities and members with a case study of Bangsrithong sub-district’s elderly club in Nonthaburi province. The analysis is based on the concepts of public space, collective consciousness, and elderly lifestyle in which the older persons, community leaders, volunteers, and local administrative organization’s officers are informants. It is found that elderly who are young-old and healthy will decide to apply for a membership and join club activities until they become sick or face an unpleasant health situation in their family (e.g. the elderly becomes ill or bed-ridden, the elderly needs to take care of other family member who has sickness, they will no longer participate). Whereas some persons choose not to renew membership because they think that the elderly club is only for the people who are healthy and ready. However, the relationship with people and the area are reasons that encourage the elderly living within the area in attending activities, as they are pleased to continue good relationships, rather than the one who lives in housing estates or who has just moved in. One perspective expresses that healthy elderly do not need to join elderly club activities since they have other options, for example becoming volunteers, doing activities that are of interest to them. On the other hand, another viewpoint considering that the elderly club is a political matter and benefit-related issue rather than viewing that its activities would lead to capability development, is an important obstacle. It means that if the benefits are not worth participating as well as the elderly are still healthy, they will choose the other activities they are interested. Also, it is believed that housework and childrearing tasks can maintain activeness. These findings suggest that the eldery clubs are used by people to create their lives rather than for receiving services. Currently, beyond the area where the service is provided, the club space needs to become the valued area for group participation. It involves a sense of community which the relationship among generations can make the elderly’s life activities become more valued and meaningful. Adding liveliness to club activities using the power of elderly is the establishment of creative space that the best capability of people can be actually revealed.