WHA Mobile Medical Missions Mobilized to Help Improve the Lives of Senior Citizens

Thailand is a country that is proud of its family values that are deeply ingrained in the culture. At a young age, children are taught to honor and respect their elders, and to do their best to look after them. However, with the evolving society, family members are sometimes no longer capable of looking after their elders who are eventually left alone. This is an unhappy situation for many seniors, because it leads to isolation and loneliness, while their needs, whether physical or emotional, are not met.

For many years now, WHA Group has been attending to the plight of the elderly, in an effort to improve their daily lives. In the past, medical missions were sent to remote villages for free eye checkups, general health monitoring, blood donations and vaccinations. This year, WHA focused on visiting the elderly in their homes to bring them gifts such as rice, canned food, wheelchairs, clothes and medical and first aid supplies.

 

A WHA CSR Team, led by Ms. Siyaphas Chantachairoj, Director – Corporate Marketing, WHA Corporation PCL., headed to the community of Tasit in Rayong province to visit older villagers living alone is poor conditions. Joining the visit were Mr. Boonlue Pimpho, Chief Executive of the Tasit Subdistrict Administration Organization and the SAO officers. The volunteers took the time to find out their conditions, explain basic health and hygiene, and bring them cheer. They distributed basic daily supplies such as adult diapers and care packs.

“Raising awareness is also a part of our goal when we visit seniors in low-income areas. We bring with us a team of medical practitioners who check their health and explain to them the importance of good nutrition and regular exercise,” Ms. Siyaphas shared. “We wish to reach out to more seniors in our communities every year, so we can help more people stay healthy for longer.”

WHA has collaborated with several agencies on health care activities for the elderly in the past including the Thailand Red Cross and other local agencies. The company has also provided professional health consultations, including heart checks, through partnerships in several villages.

“Love for the elderly is our way of sharing and caring with members of our community,” Ms. Siyaphas said. “Many volunteers joined this heartwarming experience that opened our eyes to the situation of many seniors in these communities. We hope to do more for them in the future, in order to spread compassion and warmth.”

The ageing population is one of the biggest problems that Thailand’s society is facing today. The birthrate is declining while the ratio of elderly people has been growing in recent years. In line with the government’s efforts to help the elderly, WHA also spreads education related to preventative healthcare, disease management and general well-being, and builds relationships with residents in order to give back to and take care of our society.