The Second Health Care Service for the Elderly in Nursing Homes in Samut Prakan 

Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, in collaboration with Wai Watthana Niwat Foundation and Thai Ban Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Samut Prakan, organized the 2^nd Health Care Services Project for Elderlies in Nursing Homes between March 8-29, 2024, at Wai Watthana Niwat Foundation Nursing Home, Samut Prakan, and Thai Ban Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Samut Prakan. The project was organized in continuation to the project in the previous year.  

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wanida Laiwattanapaisal, Deputy Dean for Research, Innovation, International Affairs and Corporate Communications, Head of the 2^nd Health Care Services Project for Elderlies in Nursing Homes, explained that this elderly health care project focuses on providing comprehensive and inclusive health check-ups for the elderly in care facilities. The project expands its services by adding blood tests alongside more detailed urine tests, emphasizing the examination of microalbumin in urine. This approach applies research findings from the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences at Chulalongkorn University to enhance the efficiency of elderly health care. 

The 2nd Health Care Services Project for Elderlies in Nursing Homes at Wai Watthana Niwat Foundation Nursing Home, Samut Prakan, and Thai Ban Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Samut Prakan, receives cooperation from various organizations, such as Wai Watthana Niwat Foundation and Thai Ban Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital. 20 students from the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, participated in the project, performing health checkups and collecting data for research. 52 elderly people received a blood test, and 40 received a urine test. After conducting urine and blood tests on the elderly, the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences at Chulalongkorn University ran an analysis on the urine and blood samples in the faculty’s laboratory using advanced equipment. The test results will then be reported back to the elderly care facilities. 

This project is an ongoing academic service activity for society and the community, which is an important mission of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences at Chulalongkorn University. In nursing homes and elderly care facilities, the elderly may not always receive comprehensive health care. Having blood and urine tests for the elderly can help diagnose potential diseases that may occur in older adults, allowing for the prevention and treatment of these conditions. Furthermore, this project is beneficial for the students who participate, as it provides the opportunity for them to gain real-world experience in their profession. 

This project has received positive feedback from the elderly participants. The satisfaction survey results show that the level of satisfaction is in the good to very good range, with a score of 97.8%. The participation rate in the project was 89.5%. This project aligns with the vision of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, in being a leader in health and innovation development for sustainable social development. It also corresponds to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. 

“This project not only helps screen the health of the elderly for preventive care before treatment is needed but also integrates teaching and research. It allows students to learn about community problems firsthand, fostering a sense of social responsibility and promoting sustainable development in health and well-being for Thai society,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wanida. 

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