Thammasat working to keep elderly on their feet

Thammasat University Hospital is supporting research and innovation to prevent the elderly from falling. Such accidents affect their health and their families’ finances.

Assoc Prof Dr Dilok Piyayotai, the hospital’s director, said falls among the elderly are one of the biggest problems faced by an ageing society as it may cause some of them to suffer severe injuries or become disabled.

For example, if they suffer a head or brain injury after falling, they face an increased risk of suffering a stroke, which could cause them to be paralysed, or they may become bedridden if they break a bone, he said.

“If older people suffer a severe injury or disease caused by such an accident, their families may have to hire caretakers or even quit their jobs to take care of them. Therefore, not only their own health but also their families’ finances will be affected,” Assoc Prof Dr Dilok said.

In addition, while elderly people who fall over and have serious injuries have to deal with health effects, even those who suffer seemingly minor injuries from falling may face ill effects.

For example, they may lose their confidence to do routine activities such as going for a walk or seeing friends. This may result in long-term effects on their health too, he said.

Assoc Prof Dr Dilok said Thammasat University Hospital found that an increasing number of people aged over 60 are suffering from fall-related injuries. The hospital is looking into providing carers to assist with their daily needs.

He said the hospital also is visiting local communities in Pathum Thani and other provinces in Public Health Region 4 to address the health risks the elderly face.

Public Health Region 4 covers Saraburi, Nonthaburi, Lop Buri, Ang Thong, Nakhon Nayok, Sing Buri, Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani.

He said the hospital is supporting Thammasat University’s research and pushing for the use of its innovations to provide care to elderly patients. Some inventions include electronic standing supports and toothbrushes that can extract mucous from users’ mouths.