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THE MONKS' ASSISTANCE TO BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS IN HUA THUNG SUB-DISTRICT HEALTH PROMOTING HOSPITAL, PHON DISTRICT, KHON KAEN PROVINCE
[1] PHRAKRUUPATHAMBOONKHET (NEELAWANO), [2] PHRA SOPONPHATTANABUNDIT,
[3] PHRAMAHA MIT THITAPANYO*,
[1] [2] [3] Faculty of Buddhist dependent, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University,Khon Kaen
Campus,Thailand
E-mail; [1] sphrakhruxupthamphbuykhet@gmail.com, [2Isukanya.aru@mcu.ac.th, [3] mit.wan@mcu.ac.th 'Corresponding Author, E-mail: mit.wan@mcu.ac.th
Abstract: The research objectives were as follows. 1) to study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in health-promoting hospitals; 2) to study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province; 3) to analytically study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen. This study was carried out by means of qualitative research by using an in-depth interview with 23 key informants. The obtained data were interpreted by descriptive analysis. The research results were as follows. The monks' assistance to bedridden patients in health-promoting hospitals. giving Dhamma is to encourage bedridden patients to be conscious and awake at all times, not careless in life. Nowadays, the role of the monks is not just teaching Dhamma in the temple or lecture only but the monks can also take care of alleviating the burden of bedridden patients and helping their relatives. Monks have played a greater role in the health counseling systemThe monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province. Phon district monks in Khon Kaen Province has assisted bedridden patients by teaching Dhamma to encourage bedridden patients to have the mental strength to fight the disease and live their lives. In addition, it also supports consumer goods to facilitate everyday life The analysis of the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen. The assistance of the monks to the bedridden patients is to give strength to fight disease and to live without worries and to support consumer goods to the patients to facilitate everyday life.
Keyword: Monks' Assistance, Bedridden patients, Health Promoting Hospitals
1. INTRODUCTION
The problems with bedridden patients are patients who are unable to help themselves and have to
lie in bed all the time. Some people may be able to move their arms or legs a bit. But they still need someone to help with all the daily activities such as feeding their food, washing their ace, brushing their teeth, taking a shower, etc. In addition, bedridden patients can also be found among the elderly. Because it is a group that enters the degeneration of various organs in the body. Particularly legs and arms muscles, if the elderly are not strong, lack exercise, or receive unhealthy nutrients, it will result in muscle weakness in the legs and arms. When there is a condition of muscle atrophy and then becoming a bedridden elderly. Because they are unable to help or take care of themselves. If any family has elderly or bedridden patients, you should know how to properly care for them. For the care of bedridden patients, it is important to be careful about the occurrence of pressure injury in a different area that the patients must sleep in the same position for a long period of hours. You should have time for patients, you must diligently turn over the patients every 2 hours. If you are confused, you should keep a schedule with some side flips nearby in order to prevent repeated overturning. If
there is a pressure injury, you need to learn how to increase protein nutrition for the patients. Environmental cleanliness results in wound infection, you must take the patients to wash the wound. Besides, which family has to take care of the bedridden elderly, the more you need to increase emotional and mental care for longevity. Because elderly people who are bedridden tend to be easily irritated. It is because of the stress that they cant help themselves as before [Ministry of Social Development and Human Security: 2007] [1].
The problems of bedridden patients tend to be an aging society that is increasing in number all over the world. The United Nations has defined and classified the levels as follows; the old person refers to the population of both males and females aged over 60 years. The aging society is divided into 3 levels according to the percentage of the elderly as follows; the first level is an aging society, which refers to a society or a country where more than 10% of the population aged 60 or older is present. In other words, if a population is over 65 years old, more than 7% of the country's population. It shows that the country is entering an aging society. The second level is aged society, which refers to a society or a country where more than 20% of the population aged 60 years or more, or a population aged 65 years or more than 14% of the country's population. It shows that the country has entered a completely aging society. The last level is super-aged society, which refers to a society or a country where more than 20% of the population aged 65 years or more is present. It shows that the country has entered a fully aging society. The rate of population aging World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that the number of people aged 60 and over will increase by at least 3% per year. In 2017, the number of elderly people around the world will be approximately 963 million, representing 13% of the worlds population. In 2039, the number of elderly people is expected to reach approximately 1 .4 billion and will increase to 2 billion by 2050. Each country will enter an aging society differently according to the environment of each country such as economic growth, medical development, and food and nutrition [World Health Organization: 2023] [2].About 12 percent of the elderly in the home and bedridden group, known as the dependent elderly, need a caregiver to perform their daily activities, 11.1 percent of whom have no caretaker. And 2.2% of the elderly group aged 80 years and over who took care of themselves is a burden on both the body and mind. According to the statistics of dependency in ASEAN, Thailand ranks second after Singapore. The dependence of the elderly on the population of working age, it is found that the northern region has the highest proportion, 104.6 per 1000. The population and the elderly are in a state of -bedridden-, that is, they are in a state of being unable to help themselves, they need complete caregivers for up to 2% of the population. The dependent elderly cause the state to have a welfare budget to take care of every aspect. Long-term care for bedridden patients found that the effect is that the caregiver loses professional opportunities, causing problems with insufficient funds and paying debts. And caregivers feel alone, and high stress, they have to provide are alone almost 24 hours a day, lack social opportunities, have conflicts with relatives, and lack of support from the community. In the care, there is no guarantee of home care. In addition, lack of equipment to facilitate care, and have problems moving when the elderly travel to see a doctor at the hospital [Pissamai Boonles: 2016] [3].The doctrine for this way describes the situation of illness that the accident is physical or mental illness. Physical illness is various diseases and ailments that occur in the body, mental illness is a disease caused by greed, anger, delusion, envy, and anxiety. There are many methods of treatment depending on the nature of the illness in order to focus body balance such as herbal treatment, the use of Dhamma medicine in the treatment of disease, and the use of Dhamma medicine in maintaining physical and mental health including activities used in the treatment of diseases such as chanting, meditation, mental exercise 4. Illness treatment through mental exercise practice, Dhamma practice, and health care according to the Buddhist approach includes health care in both normal and sick conditions. Health
promotion and disease prevention under normal conditions including health care according to the principles of the threefold learning (Tirasikkha 3) that are Adhisila-Sikkha, Adhicitta-Sikkha, and Adhipanna-Sikkha, health care according to the Buddha's observances and food consumption in Buddhism, therapeutic and rehabilitation of illnesses both physically and mentally in daily life, both towards oneself family and community. Holistic well-being in the Buddhist way according to the Buddhist way is, therefore, the use of Buddhist principles for the maintenance, prevention, and healing of life both physically, morally, mentally, intellectually, and socially [Phichet Khemadhammo, 2008] [4].Therefore, the researchers are interested in studying "The monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province-. By studying the problems of bedridden patients that appear in Thai society, the researchers have applied Buddhist principles in helping bedridden patients to apply in caring for bedridden patients that can be further developed into concrete care for bedridden patients that benefit the society, community and the country in the future.
2. RESEARCH QUESTION
2.1) How is the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in health-promoting hospitals?
2.2) How is the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province?
2.3) How is analytically study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen?
3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
3.1) To study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in health-promoting hospitals
3.2) To study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province?
3.3) To study analytically study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen
4. RESEARCH METHOD
This research is qualitative research. The title of "the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province-, the researchers defined the research method as follows;
4.1) This study is a documentary study and collecting data is from relevant documents and evidence from Tripitaka, books, and research reports. The document demonstrates the relationship that demonstrates the concept of the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province.
4.2) Study data from in-depth interviews with 23 main informants/persons.
4.3) Study data from observations participants with key informants about the consideration of the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province. Then the data were analyzed descriptively.
5. EXPECTED BENEFITS
5.1) To know the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in health-promoting hospitals
5.2) To know the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province?
5.3) To know analytically study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen
6. RESULTS
The research "the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province- can be summarized, discussed and suggested as follows; The monks' assistance to bedridden patients in health-promoting hospitals: Giving Dhamma is to encourage bedridden patients to become conscious, knowing that birth, old age, sickness, and death are natural things that everyone cannot escape. Dhamma will make bedridden patients feel relaxed. Because sickness is normally suffering. Listening to Dhamma will make bedridden patients understand the Dhamma consisting of birth, old age, sickness, and death, which is the ultimate truth. To see the monk visiting the bedridden patients and bringing things to give them, they felt encouraged. Normally, there were various organizational agencies who came to give things, and the more they saw that monks had come out to visit the bedridden patients and brought Dhamma principle to give words of encouragement. They listened to the Dhamma commentary on living in bedridden patients that to remember the possibility of the body, it exists and disappears, it makes them understand and try to detach from the illness. Giving Dhamma is to encourage bedridden patients to become conscious, and to realize that birth, sickness, and death are natural things that everyone cannot escape. The monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province: The monks' assistance to bedridden patients is to give Dhamma and encouragement which is considered an important spiritual food. Perhaps, helping with things is necessary for life. The monks went out to visit bedridden patients in order to encourage them. Bedridden patients listened to Dhamma or doctrine, they would make the bedridden patients have a gentle heart and calm mind. The physical part was treated as a physical therapy treatment process. Sharing things with bedridden patients is something that any agency or organization can do. Providing basic necessities is extremely important. It is considered a basic necessity for bedridden patients. But it must be under the supervision of a doctor or person who takes care of bedridden patients only. Analytically study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen: monks are one organization that has the potential to help and share consumer goods for patients or the patient's families. So there is a donation to help or provide consumer goods for the life of bedridden patients such as diapers, dry food, water, and clothes.
Taking care of bedridden patients is important. It needs to be supervised at all times. Because sometimes the patient's mood may be sensitive and easily irritated. Therefore, taking care of a bedridden patient is an obligation that requires a lot of patience. For this reason, it is normal for caregivers to spend a lot of time with care. Each day, they must manage individual routines for bedridden patients from morning till night, sometimes they have to take care all night. The importance of caring for bedridden patients must be based on sincerity. Because the bedridden cannot take care of themselves, they need the doctor in that hospital and their relatives or people close to them.
7. DISCUSSIONS
The result of the research "the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province- can be discussed as follows;
7.1) The monks' assistance to bedridden patients in health-promoting hospitals: It can be discussed that diseases that threaten the quality of life of patients and their families, According to the statistical reports on causes of death of the Thai population, caregiver relatives are extremely important people who help patients receive complete care according to their problems and needs in order to help patients who have a good quality of life during this period lifetime. Therefore, the
relative caregiver must be able to assess and manage problems with the patient and diseases that threaten the quality of life of patients and their families. But when there are visitors who are sick or treated, they get better because of love and goodwill toward the patients. It is consistent with [Utaiwan Loaprasurtsuk, 2003: 18-19] [5] studies an analytical study of the Buddhist approaches to alleviate sufferings (Dukkha) during illness. It can be summarized that, according to the Buddha's vision, there are two levels of solving illnesses consisting of Lokiya level is a Buddhist way that his highness aims to alleviate suffering in sickness, and Kokuttara is a Buddhist way that his highness aims to end sufferings, namely Nirvana. Both of these methods can be used as appropriate and essential to the needs of the individual as well. The result was found that the Buddha had two major approaches to solving health and illness problems comprising 1) prevention by taking care of health completely, both physically and mentally 2) Treatment of diseases with Dhamma medicines which brought high Dhamma principles in various categories used in enlightenment to treat diseases.
7.2) The monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province: The assistance is the public service which is the main duty of the monk who is responsible for public welfare. This activity helps the monks to participate in helping society more closely with their activities that directly support the religion. In the Phon District Sangha, they helped the monks and visited ill monks. For a person who is sick, monks go to support the patient in order to increase the merit of the mind to be happy, bright, joyful, and refreshed. It is consistent with [Phra Adhikara Phaisan Kittiphattho: 2003, 18-19] [6] studies a critical study of the application of Buddhist philosophy to heal patients' mind. The result was found that these two bodies and minds are related when a person is physically ill, the mind is also affected. Likewise, when a person is uncomfortable, the body is also affected by hurting one's feelings. Treatment must go hand in hand both physically and mentally. Some people are sick more mentally than physically. When the mind is more important than the body, therefore, Buddhism emphasizes the importance of taking care of the mind. The application of Dhamma principles in caring for mentally ill patients is a way that is supported by scientific reasons. The study found that Buddhism deals with medicine and healing, namely truth, natural life care.
7.3) Analytically study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen: Assistance for bedridden patients or helping low-income people through Hua Thung Sub-district administrative organization, most of them will go in groups with the Red Cross, with the Hua Thung Sub-district health promoting hospital. Therefore, helping in any form is beneficial to those who are bedridden. Current patients have to go to work every day when they are away, let someone else take care of them, and have children who help and share duties after work and holidays. It is consistent with [Wilai Tapasee, et al. 2018: 28-35] [7] studies living conditions of the elderly with home addiction in Wangtagoo Sub-District, Nakhon Pathom Province. It was found that it consisted of 5 main topics; 1) family, 66.67% were extended families. The rest were single-family with two grandparents, single or widowed 2) physical health, 87.67% of the elderly had physical deterioration and disease with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia cardiovascular disease, etc., and living a life of boredom taking multiple pills every day 3) access to health facilities, 96.67% they received health check-up services according to their treatment rights and were able to access health services by having their elderly relatives go for self-treatment, hired a motorbike taxi or a neighbor to take them to get medical treatment 4) Mentally, 10% of the elderly were waiting for the last days of their lives. Because its more difficult to travel anywhere, not seeing the goal of life than waiting for the last day of life, 43.33% of the elderly lived in the house all the time to watch over their children's treasures like little birds in a golden
cage. Life is about waiting for children to work outside the home. Conclusion; living conditions of the elderly with home addiction in Wangtagoo Sub-District, Nakhon Pathom Province has the characteristics of a grandmother and grandfather family or a single family. 33% of the elderly were sick with chronic diseases, they could get the service by themselves by hiring a motorbike taxi or a neighbor, and they had a state of mind waiting for the last days of their lives to earn and make a living from the monthly subsistence allowance provided by the government.
8. NEW EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE
Assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Phon District administration including the Sangha of Hua Thung Sub-District with ecclesiastical commune-chief helped bedridden patients and activities to promote mental and physical health for bedridden patients, to practice and give sermons to bedridden patients, providing consumer goods to facilities bedridden patients. Relatives who care for the patients must find time to be close to the patients. Because caring for patients takes more time than usual each day in order to manage individual routines for bedridden patients from morning till night. Perhaps, they have to take care of a bedridden patient is an obligation that requires a lot of patience.
Bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district health promoting hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen
Figure 1 New explicit knowledge
9. CONCLUSION
The monks' assistance to bedridden patients can be done within the framework of the Vinaya. Nowadays, the role of the monks is not just teaching Dhamma in the temple or lecture only. But the monks can still take care of the burden of the bedridden patients and assist their relatives. Monks can
give health advice, monks provide assistance to bedridden patients with Dhamma as encouragement. Besides, there is also support for consumer goods to facilitate the body in order to have the strength to fight the disease and to live with no worries in daily life.
10. RECOMMENDATIONS
10.1 ) Recommendations for Policy
- There should make a textbook regarding "the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province" in the form of a book for convenience in further research.
- There should prepare to collect the analytically study the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen to be more concrete for the education of people in the community.
10.2) Recommendations for Applying the research results
- There should be training the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province as a study guideline.
- There should prepare a book collecting methods and principles, explanation of the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province in terms of academic documents.
10.3) Recommendations for Implication
- There should compare the model and methods of the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province and Sub-District Health Promoting Hospitals in Phon District.
- There should be a study of the monks' assistance to bedridden patients in Hua Thung Health Promoting Hospital, Phon District, Khon Kaen Province for their well-being of bedridden patients.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. (2007). The situation of the Thai elderly 2007 (2015). Retrieved 16 September 2023, from http://www.m-society.go.th.
[2] World Health Organization. (2023). Meaning of aging. [Online]. Source: http: //www.who.int. 16 September 2023
[3] Pissamai Boonles, et al.(2016). Continous care model development for disability elders in Bangongmore health promotion hospital Tumbon Singkok Aumphur Kasetwisai Roi-Et Province. Journal of the office of DPC 7 Khon Kaen. No.23 Vol.2 (May-August 2016).
[4] Phichet Khemadhammo. [2008]. Osatha Dhamma. Khon Khaen. Veruwan Practice Centre. Bangkok: Buddhadhamma Co, Ltd.
[5] Utaiwan Laoprasurtsuk. 2003. An analytical study of the Buddhist approaches to alleviate sufferings (Dukkha) during illness. Master of Arts (Buddhist Studies). Graduate School. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Bangkok. Thailand
[6] Phra Adhikara Phaisan Kittiphattho. [2003]. A critical study of the application of Buddhist philosophy to heal patients' mind. Master of Arts (Philosophy). Graduate School. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Bangkok. Thailand
[7] Wilai Tapasee, et al. [2018]. Living conditions of the elderly with home addiction in Wangtagoo Sub-District, Nakhon Pathom Province. Vajira Nursing Journal. No.21 Vol. 2 (July-December 2019).
