05 Oct 2018
‘Elderly with attitude’: Bangkok wellness community planned for a new generation of retirees
BY Jane Kitchen
Thonburi Healthcare Group is planning a residential project for retirees in Bangkok with a focus on wellness and integrated healthcare services. Jin Wellbeing County includes 13 seven-storey buildings with a total of 1,300 units, an Aged Care Center for assisted living, and a Wellness Center with spa, providing preventive healthcare services for physical, emotional and mental conditions.
Architecture firm ThomsonAdsett, which specialises in universal design, is responsible for the overall project and concept, while OpenBox Architects is handling building design based on a passive ecology concept, focusing on energy saving and maximising natural light and ventilation.
The project landscape, designed based on "engage and inspire" concept by Shma, encourages residents to enjoy the best of the nature, with shade trees and a running stream, and to be inspired to enjoy active living.
Austrian healthcare service consultant Vamed – the parent company of Vamed Vitality World, which runs nine thermal resorts in Austria and Hungary – was hired to plan healthcare services in the project.
The Wellness Center is an eight-story building that will house a saline swimming pool where residents can enjoy aqua exercise class, fitness and personal trainer, massage service and spa, rehabilitation clinic, and retail stores.
There are also activities to promote physical and mental health, such as brain exercise activities, activities in the library to promote lifelong learning, and activities to promote physical flexibility, such as yoga, dance, aerobic, Tai Chi and special exercises designed for senior professionals and retirees.
Activities to promote interaction among residents and boost their social skills, including cooking class, flower arrangement classes, art therapy, music therapy and excursions are also planned.
A library, co-sharing space for activities, and outdoor exercise area are designed to maximise the benefit from sunlight and ventilation, and trees that provide all-day shade also encourage the residents to go out and interact with their neighbours.
John Lee, chairman of Premiere Home Health Care Co. and CEO of Jin Wellbeing County, said the project was designed and constructed with the "New Residential Concept in Retirement" concept in mind.
"This project combines the best of everything — the best caring society, the best quality of life, the best of health care for the elderly, the best safety standards for all residents, the best of universal design customised fully for senior people, the best of environment and the best of investment opportunity," he said.
"All these are combined to empower the elderly with dynamic living. Our project will allow them to live independently and enjoy their life to the fullest,” he continued. “We strongly believe that the elderly with attitude will be the key driver towards a quality ageing society in the future. The golden age is all about celebration. It's the time when senior people should celebrate their lives and enjoy everyday happiness provided by security and a good environment."
Senior living was one of this year's Spa Foresight topics in the newly released Spa Business Handbook, where editors from Spa Business look for new trends and upcoming opportunities for those in the spa industry.
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