Health Outreach Programmes Year: 2024
Deliver outreach programmes and projects in the local community to improve or promote health and well-being including hygiene, nutrition, family planning, sports, exercise, aging well, and other health and well-being related topics.
University for the Community: Promoting Child and Elderly Well-being for Sustainable Quality of Life
Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University places strong importance on advancing the health and well-being of vulnerable community members, particularly young children and older adults, who serve as essential pillars for future human capital development. To achieve that goal, the university runs ongoing community-centered elderly health care initiatives that integrate academic expertise and student learning with practical field experience.
One of the key activities involves home-visit programs conducted in collaboration with Ban Mamuang Song Ton Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, engaging 10 older adults. The visits cover screening and risk assessment, medication management counseling, and fall prevention for older adults living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In parallel, at Ban Payang Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, 40 older adults underwent screening and risk assessments for complications at the chronic disease clinic.
The university has expanded its proactive approach through the project “Enhancing Community Innovation through Social Engineering: Healthy, Happy, and Dignified Aging.” Under the initiative, students and faculty collaborate with the Elderly Club in Phrom Lok Subdistrict, Phrom Khiri District, engaging 46 older adults in activities designed to promote physical and mental well-being. The project also focuses on developing students’ life skills and soft skills through direct community engagement. Through work with older adults to preserve and extend local wisdom, the initiative cultivates innovative community products that build pride, social value, and sustainable development.
Outcomes demonstrate substantial, multifaceted gains. Older adults report better health and happiness, along with greater digital awareness and adaptability. Students have cultivated civic responsibility, deeper insight regarding aging, and the capacity to apply academic knowledge in real-world settings.
Furthermore, the university has launched initiatives to strengthen health care skills, promote sustainable livelihoods, and increase self-reliance for people with disabilities. The program includes practical training for caregivers of people with disabilities on managing aggressive behavior in psychiatric patients, along with nutrition education workshops on appropriate portion sizes and the design of nutritious, locally sourced meal plans. A total of 50 participants took part, with support from the Equitable Education Fund (EEF). The aim is to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities and their caregivers at the Center for the Development of the Potential and Occupations of Persons with Disabilities in Tha Sala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
Through sustained effort, Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University affirms its role as a “University for the Community,” actively advancing positive change across all age groups, spanning early childhood and older adults. Promoting inclusive health and well-being enables direct contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), ensuring that everyone enjoys healthy lives and well-being at every stage of life in a sustainable and equitable manner.
