The role of facility management in community facilities for elderly in Bangkok | |
| Author | Wiruj Somsopon |
| Call Number | AIT Diss no.UE-23-02 |
| Subject(s) | Older people--Thailand--Bangkok Older people--Services for--Thailand--Bangkok City planning--Thailand--Bangkok |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Innovation and Sustainability |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Thailand will become a “super-aged” society in 2050, with more than 35 percent of the population aged 60 or above. The aging population represents enormous challenges in supporting the elderly’s needs in living environments and well-being. On the other hand, facility management (FM) is expected to be crucial in providing community facilities and services that foster healthy aging in urban residential areas and ensuring that older adults feel comfortable staying in their homes or communities. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the needs of the elderly and their housing environment, focusing on the potential role of community facilities and facility management for the elderly in urban housing in Bangkok. Through focus group interviews, in-depth interviews, site investigation, and a questionnaire survey in five urban housing projects in Bangkok, the study conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of and evaluation by the elderly using the community facilities and services. The study reveals that among the community facilities and services, green spaces, safety facilities, and medical services were prioritized by most elderly respondents, especially those who were ambulant and active. The elderly respondents’ income and health status, the provision, and the usability and accessibility of community facilities and services, were crucial factors that affected the elderly’s satisfaction and participation in social activities. The study also found that green spaces, safety facilities, elderly clubs, medical and long-term care services, and social activity arrangement services were instrumental in elderly residents’ social and health status. Regarding the FM, developers need to provide policy, plans, and guidelines and offer guidance and supervision to facility managers responsible for providing appropriate services and managing facilities for the elderly on site. To scale up these findings and lessons, the study recommends that the urban authority takes responsibility for managing elderly housing in the city. This includes establishing policy guidelines, evaluating completed and ongoing projects to establish a quality control mechanism, and providing necessary resources and capacity building to develop and improve the FM plan. |
| Year | 2023 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Urban Innovation and Sustainability (UIS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Kim, Sohee Minsun (Co-Chairperson);Vilas Nitivattananon (Co-Chairperson); |
| Examination Committee(s) | Kusakabe, Kyoko;Thi, Phuoc Lai Nguyen; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | RTG Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2023 |