Patcharin Jongjai 2019/07/09 , ( 422 views)
On 9 July 2019, Dr. Nirun Phitakwatchara,MD, Dean of College of Medicine and Public Health, officially opened the Saensuk Sub-district Elderly’s Life Quality Development Center. The event was held at Mahamakut Buddhist University Isan Campus-Ubon Ratchathani Center.
The College of Medicine and Public Health is running a participatory action research project that focuses on city community development in regard to the preparation of becoming an aging society. The project welcomes the people in the communities to be involved in the development.
The Saensuk Sub-district Elderly’s Life Quality Development Center aims to provide knowledge and guidance on health care for elders (both physical and mental health). Moreover, people of all ages are involved in the preparation as they are key factors that will help the project reach its success. The project was co-organized by Sappasitthiprasong Fort Hospital, Khor Sub-district Health Promotion Hospital, and Saensuk Sub-district Health Promotion Hospital.
Ms. Jiraporn Tippila, lecturer of the College of Medicine and Public Health and Head of the project, reported that the project was sponsored by the Thailand Research Fund. It mainly aims to develop the life quality of people, especially elderly citizens, and to improve the quality of communities to prepare for the aging society. After surveying, collecting, and analyzing data in the communities through the collaboration of the researchers and some local assistants, the project was initiated.
The Saensuk Sub-district displayed a need to run the center for the development of elderly people’s life quality. The pilot activities will be held every Tuesday and Thursday for one month. The target groups of the activity are home-bound elders and well elders. The project provides opportunities for these two communities of elderly citizens to meet, greet, and participate in relaxing activities together. Besides the development of health quality, the center also promotes career opportunities that can help them earn more income. These benefits could help prevent major depression for people of all ages. The center focuses on the development of health quality, environment, economy, and mindfulness. The activities provided by the center include, but are not limited to, health and mental promotion activities, exercise activities, listening to sermons, playing games in rotations, and producing products and innovations for elders, etc. The center aims to be a prototype that will provide a pathway for other communities to follow for the development of elderly’s life quality.
This project is one out of several participatory action research projects ran by UBU that aims to integrate cooperation between educational organizations and communities throughout sharing knowledge and developing more awareness.