Chula Fine Arts Delivers Elder Eats 1.0 & Music Therapy to Elderly at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chanchai Sittipunt, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and Director of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, and Prof. Dr. Kearkiat Praditpornsilpa, Head of the Healthy Elderly Project, along with a team of nurses, took part in the launching of the Elder Eats application on February 11, 2025, on the 4^th floor of Sor Thor Building, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The application was developed by 3 student interns from Republic Polytechnic (RP), Singapore, who collaborated over a 5-month period during their internship at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University, and is to be delivered to the Comprehensive Geriatric Clinic to serve as an activity for the elderly while waiting for medical examinations. Also in attendance were Prof. Dr. Kumkom Pornprasit, Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Prof. Dr. Bussakorn Binson, Director of the FAA-Emili Sagol Creative Arts Research and Innovation for Well-being Center, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pornprapit Phoasavadi, Deputy Dean for International Affairs, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Prapon Kumjim, Assistant Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts.  

The Javanese Angklung Ensemble in the Comprehensive Geriatric Clinic is a music activity for the elderly in the clinic. The band has been in development in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine for a period of 7 years, from 2017 to present, as a voluntary activity. The activity is led by alumni of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts’ Music Department and MA in Music Therapy, namely Dr. Paphutsorn Koong Wongratanapitak, Miss Chutikan Jirarachwaro, and a Music Therapy alumnus, Mr. Pongthipok Sootthipong, who begins his post as King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital’s music therapist on March 1, 2025.      

The Angklung ensemble uses hand signals to indicate musical notes, which helps train the memory and response of members through the Javanese angklung instrument, originating in and imported from Indonesia. The activity for healthy elderly is held regularly twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays, between 10.00 and 11.30 am. Currently, there are approximately 200 members who take turns participating in the activity each week. This activity promotes both wellness and volunteer work for students and alumni of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts. 

Apart from the Comprehensive Geriatric Clinic, there is also the Body Movements activity which encourages rhythmic movements of the elderly, bringing joy and smiles through music. The activity is led by 12 student interns from Republic Polytechnic (RP) in Singapore. This activity builds good relationships between the elderly and the interns, without gaps in age, language, or culture. 

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Line