Grounded theory methodology was used to generate a substantive theory that describes and explains the caregiving process of Thai caregivers for their elderly stroke relatives. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 20 family caregivers living in Chachoengsao province, Thailand, by using interviews, observations, and the primary researcher's memos. The central idea emerging from the data was maintaining caregiving at home that encompassed these seven contextual situations: (a) caregiving as an integral part of life; (b) caregiving as an unavoidable task; (c) caregiving with love, sympathy, and attachment; (d) family and kinship support; (e) community support; (f) managing treatment; and (g) managing problems and difficulties. Culture, tradition, and religion dominated throughout these situations. Application of the theory is discussed relative to providing culturally sensitive nursing education, intervention, and research.

The purposes of this study are to develop and empirically test a theoretical model that examines the relationships between a set of predictors and depression among older adults. A biopsychosocial model was tested with 317 community dwelling older adults residing in Chon Buri Province, Thailand. A face-to-face interview was used in a cross-sectional community-based survey. A hypothesized model of depression was tested by using path analysis. It was found that the modified model fitted the data and the predictors accounted for 60% of the variance in depression. Female gender, activities of daily living, loneliness, stressful life events, and emotional-focused coping had a positive direct effect on depression. Social support and problem-focused coping had a negative direct effect on depression. Additionally, perceived stress, stressful life events, loneliness, and income had a negative indirect effect on depression through social support. Female gender, activities of daily living, and perceived stress also had a positive indirect effect on depression through emotional-focused coping. Stressful life events, perceived stress, and income had a negative indirect effect on depression through problem-focused coping. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the variables that predict depression in older adults. Thus, health care providers should consider the effects of these contributing factors on depression in the older adult person and can devise a program to prevent and promote health in older adults alleviating depression.

This study indicated that levels of education, happiness, and stress could influence the perception of herbal medicine consumption. Knowing how people perceive herbal medicine, its use, and local culture can help practicing health professionals, among other things, to avoid side effects from prescriptions and so maintain or promote the elderly health status.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of peer-support, selfmanagement program on the self-management behavior and blood pressure of older adults with essential hypertension. A randomized control trial was designed. Eighty-one older adults with hypertension were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group of 27 older adults each. At the fourth and sixteenth week after completing a peer-support, self-management program, participants in the two experimental groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in self-management behavior and reduced blood pressure that were also significantly different from those of the control group. peer-support, self-management program helped maintain self-management behaviors and reduce blood pressure in older adults with hypertension.

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