The effect of a palliative care enhancement program on the knowledge and competence of volunteer caregivers of dependent elderly people
Abstract
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study aimed to compare the knowledge and caregiving competency of volunteers for dependent older adults before and after participating in a Palliative Care Capacity-Building Program. The sample consisted of 50 volunteers under the responsibility of Kaeng Loeng Chan Health Promoting Hospital, Maha Sarakham Province, divided into experimental and control groups (25 participants each) through purposive sampling.
The experimental group received a program based on Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory, consisting of four core activities: verbal persuasion, modeling, enactive mastery experiences, and emotional arousal, while the control group received standard care. Research instruments included the Palliative Care Enhancement Program, a knowledge assessment form (KR-20 = 0.89), and a caregiving competency assessment form (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.74). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and independent t-tests.
The results demonstrated that after the intervention, the experimental group’s mean scores for palliative care knowledge (9.72 ± 0.45) and caregiving competency (4.72 ± 0.14) significantly increased compared to the pre-test scores (p < .05). Furthermore, when comparing post-test scores between the groups, the experimental group achieved significantly higher mean scores in both knowledge and competency than the control group (p < .05), reaching
an "excellent" level of performance. In conclusion, the program focusing on boosting self-confidence through mastery experiences and practical training successfully empowered volunteers to provide care for dependent older adults approaching the end of life. This model is recommended for further application in enhancing primary healthcare volunteer capabilities in community settings.
Keywords : Palliative care, Volunteer caregivers, Dependent elderly, Self-efficacy
