Bangkok--12 Feb--TCELS
Thai people will have chance to become ‘young forever’ with TCELS’ launch of the first anti-aging institute in Thailand.
Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS) has joined hands with anti-aging expert to set up the International Anti-Aging Institute (IAAI) for the first time in the country. The organisation was believed to help free Thai elderlies from being dependent on expensive cosmetics, as well as to save the Thai economy from being paralysed by the cost of elderly care.
Dr Thongchai Tavichachart, TCELS director, said his agency had signed an agreement with Dr Krisda Sirampuj, specialist on anti-aging medicine, to establish the International Anti-Aging Institute, which is the first of its kind in Thailand, to prepare the country before it enters an aging society in the next two years.
According to the United Nations’ indications, in 2010, Thai people aged over 60 will count 11 percent of the entire population, while the number of children will decrease to 20 percent.
The latest 2007 survey on aging persons by Mahidol University reported the number of 6.8 million aging population, 90 percent of which aged between 60-79 years, and about 4,000 people aged over 100 years.
Dr Krisda Sirampuj, IAAI’s first director, said the aging population is constantly growing but about 50 percent of Thai elderlies are still facing health problems. Most have suffered from incurable chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high-blood pressure due to lack of proper care from early years of life. This is because there was no research centre to guide for the national strategies for human resources and knowledge development in physical and mental health care in order to prepare Thai elderlies for quality living.
The result of health surveys on aging persons nationwide was even worrying. It showed that in 2007, 52 percent of aging persons never had physical examinations, and in 2005, one in every two aging persons were chronically ill. The mostly found diseases are rheumatoid arthritis (60 percent), chronic back pain ( 50 percent), cataracts (40 percent), high cholestoral and high blood pressure (15-20 percent). About one-fifth of the aging population are crippled, leaving 28 percent of hospital beds nationwide to be occupied by aging people. It is expected in five years, the number of people aged above 80 will reach almost a million persons.
Dr Krisda added it has never been mentioned that the healthcare budget for the 80s alone is even more than an accumulated cost of medical care for people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s.
‘’There are factors in our society today that make people become over-aging. Some had a heart failure merely at the age of 60. I would like people in their 60s to have no bellies, no diabetes, with constant blood pressure. These symptoms indeed are preventable but we never had clear practices to prevent them. Therefore, they have become burdens to individuals, families, organisations, and the nation which also has not enough budget for elderly services.
Dr Thongchai meanwhile said the establishment of IAAI is very important. TCELS will provide support for knowledge management and network development.
He added the institute will focus on three aspects of development including knowledge, research and services. The outcome will be modern practices for elderly care which will be integrated in the medical and public health service systems, as well as in Thai education system.
The key emphasis is to propose the national strategies for prolonged active life, to strengthen the health of those aged above 60, and ease the country’s economic burden from elderly healthcare.
Dr Thongchai said IAAI will compile the anti-aging knowledges and supports to prolong people’s strength and active life as far as possible. People in their 40s should know what information they need to look up to, what kind of diseases they are at risk, by having DNA, genetic and hormone examinations. Those above 45 years old should have a comprehensive check-up, as well as records of their healthcare, working, eating, and lifestyle behaviors to determine the best practices for each individual to get a healthy long life.
Dr Thongchai said the institute is new to Thailand. It was located at TCELS headquarter at CMMU building on Vibhavadi Rangsit road. Its duty is to conduct studies and researches on prolonged active life, physical and mental health care to help Thai people look younger without spending money on luxury anti-aging cosmetics. It will develop knowledges, researches and services for modern elderly-care that will be adopted as a new national strategy, in addition to the old strategies on aging persons. The new strategy aims at saving people aged above 50 years from over-aging, said Dr Thongchai.