With almost 6 million elderly Thais having access to smartphones, three agencies have joined hands to launch online courses helping them stay healthy.
The courses are a collaboration between ThaiHealth, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University's Communication and Development Knowledge Management Research Centre.
ThaiHealth manager Supreeda Adulyanon said the content covers four topics -- food and medicine, physical and mental health, the environment, and life and social skills.
The content is easy to understand and designed for people in both urban and rural communities. Participants will learn through video clips, do tests and join discussions, she said.
The courses are offered as "massive open online courses" (MOOCs) aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. Those interested can enrol at www.thaismartageing.org.
Ms Supreeda said the courses are designed to help the elderly look after themselves and stay healthy. They come as Thailand expects to be declared an ageing society next year with 20% of the population aged 60 and over.
About 95% of the elderly are at risk of having non-communicable diseases (NCDs) if they do not take proper care of themselves.
The courses have been developed based on the finding that more than 5.8 million elderly use smartphones and social media platforms. More than 800,000 of them were found to have looked up information on health on the internet, too.
Sujitra Pittayanoraset, director-general of the Department of Older Persons, said the department will work with the agencies to promote the online courses.
She said the courses will keep the elderly up to date on health issues and stay active mentally and physically.
Nongnuch, who did not give her age, said she felt good about the courses. She says she has learned about nutrition and exercise and after applying what she has learned feels 10 years younger.
She said she has gained more confidence when going out and has learned how to quickly search for information and use maps which also give suggestions about transport and mass transit routes.
Ratana, another participant, said she feels as if the whole world is in her smartphone and feels proud of herself now that she can use social media without help from her children.
She said she has also helped her 87-year-old mother who has started making small changes in her daily routine after viewing video clips from the courses.
Panicha Boonsawat, a member of the development team, said the content is specially designed so as not to be too complicated for the elderly, adding it has been backed by specialists.