What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country, for example)?
As Thailand ranks second in having the most rapidly growing ageing population, the Cheongdoi municipality decided to take necessary steps to care for and provide development opportunities for its elderly population. With a very limited time to prepare a response to demographic change, all sectors require economic and social restructuring and enhanced collaboration to address the needs of an elderly society (Punyakaew et al., 2019).
Several studies discussed in this case were conducted to explore the determinants for active ageing in the Thai context (Gray, 2019; Punyakaew et al., 2019; Thanakwang et al., 2014). The determinants were grouped in three categories:
- health,
- community participation,
- security.
Health was defined as the absence of barriers to continued daily living, combined with a peaceful and adaptive mindset. Participation was described as maintaining social networks and being a formal volunteer, emphasizing the ‘making of merits’, meaningful activities, and being respected. Security was described as having manageable living conditions and managing to finalize life well by balancing dependence and independence in relation to children to sustain the traditional value of gratitude between generations (Wongsala et al., 2021).
The studies have also determined the crucial variables in perceived quality of ageing, such as age, gender, area of residence, education, marital status, social support, income, employment, access to healthcare and physical well-being. Several studies use terms ‘successful ageing’, ‘active ageing’, ‘healthy ageing’, ‘optimal ageing’ and ‘positive ageing’ interchangeably (Gray, 2019).
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
Thailand’s first school for the elderly (Tambon Hua Ngom Elderly School) was sponsored by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) and was launched in the Northern province. Supported and supervised by the ministry, the school aims to develop quality of life and promote occupations for the elderly under the ministry’s urgent policy targeted at building the groundwork for an ageing society.
The ministry is looking to open similar schools in other communities with large elderly populations (Bangkok Post, 2016).
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
Elderly Schools recruit local teachers and monks to deliver a wider variety of lessons for the elderly population. Aside from language classes (English, Chinese and Vietnamese), the students have the opportunity to join handicraft workshop and learn about the local production of traditional Thai desserts, traditional herbal medicine and local attire.
The school will encourage the elderly to keep abreast of new knowledge and use their spare time in a quality way. Also, local wisdom derived from them can be passed on to the next generation to help develop their communities. In addition, they will be encouraged to keep healthy by attending daily exercise sessions such as Tai Chi; an annual sports day is held as well. (Bangkok Post, 2016).
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Whom does it benefit and how?
The few studies on active ageing in Thailand have focused on elderly people’s routines in an attempt to contribute to improving their quality of life. Socializing with people their own age at school enables the elderly to live productively after retirement, and their families will be at ease as senior family members spend time constructively.
Punyakaew et al. (2019) highlight that daily activities for elderly persons are crucial in bringing meaning and purpose to life. Their study aimed at exploring active ageing levels and time used for health-maintenance activities which embrace a positive outcome, fostering well-being and improved quality of life.
The research conducted by Gray (2019) was funded by the Royal Golden Jubilee Scholarship PhD Programme, of the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) with the aim of determining the major contributory factors in achieving improved quality of life in the elderly population.
Promoting healthy ageing, in lifestyle or social support for instance, is a good implementation strategy for reducing the burden of age-related disease (Punyakaew et al., 2019). This study found that elderly people spent most of their time resting and sleeping, and that elderly people at a high level of active ageing engaged in leisure and social participation more than those in other groups (moderate and low active ageing levels). The research stressed how time-use in the healthy elderly is understood and should be considered when increasing the active ageing level of future elderly generations. More time spent on leisure and social participation would improve satisfaction and quality of life for elderly people in moderate and low active ageing levels. A study in the Elderly Schools in the southern regions showed similar characteristics and operational strategies (Prakhuviratdrammachot et al., 2019).
Another study by Wongsala et al. (2021) explored the factors that can assist in health policy planning by providing that relate to older Thai adults’ perspectives of health, participation and security, and ultimately contribute to a better quality of life. The results showed benefits flow from resources and activities related to experiences of daily life and local culture.
References
Bangkok Post, 2016. School’s in for the elderly. [Online] Available at: www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/special-reports/1025529/schools-in-for-the-elderly [Accessed 2 June 2021].
Gray, R., 2019. Active Ageing Index in Thailand. Experience with statistical tools to measure demographic trends and policy outcomes related to demographic developments. [Online] Available at: www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Building%20a%20new%20index%20to%20measure%20active%20ageing.pdf [Accessed 6 June 2021].
Prakhuviratdrammachot, Somboon, B. and Peerapon, S., 2019. School of elders: Well-being system management and benefits in the schools in case of South of Thailand. Journal of MCU Nakhondhat, 6(3), pp. 1340–1362.
Punyakaew, A., Lersilp, S. and Putthinoi, S., 2019. Active ageing level and time use of elderly persons in a Thai suburban community. Occupational Therapy International. [Online] Available at: www.hindawi.com/journals/oti/2019/7092695/ Accessed 28 July 2021.
Thanakwang, K., Isaramalai, S.-a. and Hatthakit, U., 2014. Thai cultural understandings of active ageing from the perspectives of older adults: A qualitative study. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 18(2), pp. 152–165.
Wongsala, M., Anbäcken, E.-M. and Rosendahl, S., 2021. Active ageing – perspectives on health, participation, and security among older adults in northeastern Thailand – a qualitative study. BMC Geriatrics, 21(41). [Online] Available at: https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1 Accessed 28 July 2021.