Abstract:
The objectives of this research consist of studying a characteristic of family in urban community and patterns of child and elderly care of working-age people in urban community. This research employs both a quantitative method for analyzing demographic background , characteristics family in urban community, and patterns of child and elderly care of the working-age people in urban community of a sample group and a qualitative one for explaining reason why the sample group use these patterns. The sample group is 75 people living in Nualjit Community, Bangkok. The result of the characteristic of family in urban community is the nuclear family with child or children. For the pattern of childcare of the working-age people, the findings indicate that as their children enter into school age, the sample group is mostly likely send them to school. If they are pre-school age children, their grandparents would take care of them. For the pattern of the elderly care, the results are that the elderly are left at home alone because they are still healthy and can take care of themselves. If the elderly do not have good health, neighbors are asked to care for them. Moreover, the sample being unemployed, working at home, and having flexible working hours do not want any assistance because they can manage their time. For the working-age people living with the elderly, mobile health unit is necessarily needed. Providing a day care center in the workplace is crucial for the working-people because they can work and spend time with their children at the same time.