The Effect of the Resilience Quotient Program with Social Support among the Elderly with Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases

Elderly people naturally experience physiological changes, leading to an increased susceptibility to chronic health conditions. Providing social support and enhancing the resilience quotient level can facilitate adaptation and enable them to maintain a fulfilling lifestyle even in challenging circumstances. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the Resilience Quotient (RQ) program with social support on the RQ level among the elderly with chronic non-communicable diseases. A quasi-experimental research design with a pretest and post-test approach was employed in this study. The sample consisted of 60 elderly people who resided in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand, randomly divided into 30 each in the experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent the Resilience Quotient program with social support, which was developed by the researchers, while the control group received standard care. The 30-question resilience variable questionnaire was used to measure the Resilience Quotient level. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test statistics. The findings demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the average resilience quotient score of the elderly in the experimental group after participating in the program. This improvement was observed compared to their scores before the program (t = 16.73, p < .001). Furthermore, the average resilience quotient score of the experimental group was statistically superior to that of the control group, which received standard care (t = 16.21, p < .001). The program facilitates a significantly higher resilience quotient level in the experimental group. The results were limited in generalizability to describe the elderly residing in urban areas due to family structure and social service diversity. To comply with Thailand’s Elderly Care Strategic Plan, community health nurses should consider arranging activities that enhance RQ levels into routine primary care for the elderly with NCDs in the community to promote their health, prevent disease, and manage chronic conditions.