Chula Ari, an innovation driving the model society to support Thai aging community

What will happen if Thailand grows into a completely aging society in 1 year from today?

The Office of National Economic and Social Development Council pinpointed that 2021 will illustrate a complete transition into Aged society. With over 60 million citizens and growing up to 20% aged over 60, this is a result of economic prosperity and scientific development. Technology and decimal that allows Thai to live longer as well as family planning that accumulates into 10 years of decreases childbirth; hence, resulting in reduced fertility rate while decreasing the mortality rate. The aging population that rapidly increases has also impacted the economic infrastructure especially in terms of production and foresees to be decreasing significantly. This also creates societal impact that government must solve whether it is the idea of being isolated, psychological, and medical expenses. The government will have to carry such expenses and will continue to do so in the future.

Chulalongkorn University, one of the leading educational institutions in Thailand which has various expertise, therefore, searches for ways to cooperate in order to alleviate the problems caused by changes in infrastructure in the society by establishing a platform to support elders from using existing knowledge to help society as a whole under “Chula Ari: Chulalongkorn University Platform For Ageing Research Innovation”. This has many varieties including health, economic, and collaboration which provides Thai elders with a better quality of life. This is done by research from elders living in the middle of Bangkok which includes: This started with the Wang Thonglang Community, Sam Phraeng Community (Phraeng Phuthorn Phraeng Nara and Phraeng Suppasart), Phasi Charoen Community and Din Daeng Flat Community. Started in 2018.

Solve the problems of aging society with “5 Integrated interdisciplinary”

“Chula Ari” has developed knowledge and innovation for Thai society with 12 faculties under Chulalongkorn university. This can be categorized into 5 parts:

Economic and cooperation
Citizen and society
Health
Physical environment
Technology and Culture.

Caring for elders via Ninja Robot

Chula Ari has given robots for taking care of elders “Ninja Chula Ari” to the Department of Older Persons, Ministry of Society Development and Human Security which was developed from a Chula start up. This will be used for patients who couldn’t move around at “Center of Social Welfare Development for The Eldery, Pathumthani” for telemedication use or long distance medical uses to help elders that live alone in the household to be able to communicate with doctors to decrease deaths or risks in diseases that are prevalent with old age. As a result, Chula has received an award for CSR with elders union for 2020.

Cooperation from all factors to call for sustainable development

Other than coming together of different departments, Chula Ari has also received cooperation from non profit organizations such as Young Happy which hosts Healthy and well being events to encourage health care and teaches necessary skills to prepare for old age.

Chula Ari has also received local legislation cooperation in coordination with Bangkok government, which hosted a conference that brings fourth Chula Ari with its aims and development plans to cover different parts of Bangkok.

Chula Ari has made Thailand proud from recognition in the international levels hosted by College of Population Studies, Chulalongkorn University under the conference name “Measuring Population Ageing: Bridging Research and Policy” in cooperation with international organizations such as The Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) of the UN, The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Austria, and The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

The aim was to bring together experts to discuss matters regarding measurements of elders in the population, framework of thinking process to aid in country-wide legislation which adheres to international development goals.

Currently, Chula Ari is in its 3rd year which focuses on research on a national level along with communal level. This is to receive a database to further process. The data is gathered from 4 ideal communities with the total population of 1,361 people. This has shown that success from Chula Ari and cooperation from the private, public, and education sector plays a vital factor to help Thailand handle this important transition step towards a complete aged population. This creates awareness in the population and creates a view of importance of the cause. In turn, it provides a base knowledge for working age groups as well as elders to work towards “Elders live efficiently and happy”, counting as an innovation for society to support the aging population.

The development has pinpoint for 2021 to be an important year of infrastructural change in Thai citizen moving towards “complete aged society”

Moreover, throughout 2021, Chula Ari has also continuously developed innovation:

1. Social innovation: creating research and plans for elder. During phase 3, there has been involvement from the society from the local scale to national scale. The plan dealt with innovative plans to protect and aid elders and families under various crises, including COVID-19. This has been created in collaboration with Department of Oder Persons Ministry Of Social Development And Human Security, which has received permission and consensus amongst National Elderly Person committee two times, second being on 30th June 2021 and will be used as the long term main plan to support the aging population and develop the life quality of Thai Elders

2. Innovation in database of elders in the community: Creating database of elders in community that covers health, economy, society, environment, technology, and innovation aspects. The project of data storage with mobile application and sorting database and displaying such information on websites in the “dashboard” feature will allow users to navigate through the information efficiently. Moreover, the information of each individuals will be interconnected with GPS in case of any aid needed

3. Innovation of machineries in the structure of robots for rehabilitation: This aims to help people both in elders that have problems in blood circulation problems in the brain and rehabilitation in muscles and strength of elders has been piloted in communities and health centers of Bangkok. As a development of Telemedicine Robots that has been used for patients dealing with blood circulation problems in the brain at Social Welfare Development Center Eldery (Patumthani) Ministry Of Social Development And Human Security, Chulalongkorn hospital, and Rajvithi Hospital

Moreover, the innovation resulted from this project has been given 1 runner up reward under robotics and software for medical and health purposes from medical robotics contest i-MEDBOT Innovation Contest hosted by Thailand Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (Public Organisation) or TCELS Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation on the 3rd of September 2021

4. Innovation to support elders in the communities:

Development of home visits as “Advanced Home Health Care Plus (AHHC+)” for elders who are unable to leave their homes in Bangkok

Create informational videos to teenagers and adults in support of saving behavior to create an understanding of importance in saving money and plan for spendings and monetary stability during old age.

Developing a plan for future cities that is an Age-Friendly City in accordance with the World Health Organization. The plan is to change home structures and living conditions to be elders friendly, this aims to provide elders with safety measures in living both indoors and outdoors. The plan also looks into transportation that would allow elders to travel efficiently and safety, benefit from joining activities, and create food stability of communities under crisis