Ageing in Place in Thailand: Development of a Composite Index for the Older Population

Abstract

This study developed a version of the ageing in place index for the older population in Thailand. using secondary data from the National Statistical Office’s surveys of the older persons in Thailand conducted in 2021. Data analysis includes descriptive statistics of the sample population and analysis of the index using the Aggregate Z score method to determine the sum of the index of each component. The study found that the ageing in place index, adapted from the concept of ageing in place, consists of five dimensions (place, social networks, support, technology, and personal characteristics) and 16 sub-indicators. The composite index development process involved seven steps. The ageing in place index tool passed a content-validity check, achieving a score of the Index of item objective congruence, interrater reliability. The final overall score of the ageing in place index is interpreted into three levels: low (0.000-0.499), moderate (0.500-0.799), and high (0.800-1.000). The values for the ageing in place index were compared to the established standard target indicators in order to inform policy planning for ageing in place and improve the quality of life for the older population of Thailand.