The Effects of a Caregiver Training Program on Dependent Elderly Care of Family Caregiver at Doi Luang Hospital, Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

This study employed a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design to examine the effects of a caregiver capacity-building program for family caregivers of dependent older adults at Doi Luang Hospital, Chiang Rai Province. The objectives were to compare the mean scores of knowledge regarding elderly care, caregiver burden in home-based care, and caregiving skills of family caregivers before and after participation in the program.

          The sample consisted of 30 family caregivers of dependent older adults residing in Pong Noi Subdistrict, Doi Luang District, Chiang Rai Province. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. The study was conducted between June and December 2025. The caregiver capacity-building program was implemented over a six-week period and was developed based on participatory learning and positive thinking enhancement approaches. Data collection instruments included a demographic questionnaire, a knowledge test on elderly care, a caregiver burden assessment scale, and a caregiving skills performance assessment. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was applied to compare outcomes before and after the intervention.

          The results demonstrated that after participating in the program, family caregivers showed statistically significant increases in mean scores of knowledge regarding elderly care and caregiving skills (p < 0.001), while the mean caregiver burden score significantly decreased (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that the caregiver capacity-building program was effective in enhancing the caregiving competencies of family caregivers of dependent older adults. It is recommended that this program be applied in primary care settings, and that future studies employ controlled research designs with long-term follow-up to evaluate the sustainability of program outcomes.