OKMD Opens Senior Learning Center With Thai Red Cross
OKMD and Thai Red Cross opened a 2,000-square-meter Senior Plearn Ground at Suangniwat in Samut Prakan to support active aging through brain-based learning that combines cognitive activities, physical movement, rehabilitation, and social in
The Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD), a public organization, has partnered with the Thai Red Cross Society to unveil the OKMD Senior Plearn Ground, a creative learning space for seniors occupying over 2,000 square meters at Suangniwat, Thai Red Cross headquarters in Samut Prakan Province. The facility aims to serve as a model supporting Thailand's transition into a fully developed aging society by implementing brain-based learning principles that connect cognitive learning, physical movement, rehabilitation, and social interaction to promote active aging and lifelong learning.
The project represents comprehensive collaboration covering surveying, design, construction, and landscaping, integrating OKMD's learning expertise with the Thai Red Cross's expertise in rehabilitation medicine and elderly care to create an environment that concretely supports quality learning, rehabilitation, and living standards for older adults.
Dr. Pramethe Wimolsiri, chairman of OKMD, stated that opening the OKMD Senior Plearn Ground represents a significant innovation in spatial design to support Thailand's complete transition into an aging society, aligning with OKMD's core mission of promoting lifelong learning and developing human capital through knowledge management to create public learning systems and foster creative wisdom among citizens.
"OKMD believes the human brain can learn and recover at any age with proper stimulation," Dr. Pramethe explained. "We developed OKMD Senior Plearn Ground as a space where seniors can learn, move, rehabilitate, and interact with others, prioritizing safety, practical usability, and participation rather than serving merely as a standard exercise facility."
The design incorporates five key dimensions: welcoming atmosphere, appropriate media and equipment, safe management, creative and intergenerational activities, and complete facilities to promote four-dimensional wellness—physical, mental, emotional, and social—through learning bases and interconnected experience journeys.
Key areas include the Book House and Gallery, designed for reading, meditation, brain-training games, art activities, and exhibitions of seniors' work, with space for intergenerational learning where youth volunteers can read stories and participate in activities with older adults. The Health Path and Balance Bridge feature both indoor and outdoor walking routes with properly graded balance bridges to improve stability and reduce fall risk, a major concern for elderly populations.
The Exercise Area and Sensory Stimulation Court provide equipment to build strength, agility, precision, muscle coordination, and functional memory alongside sensory stimulation through various textures and plants including golden barrel cactus, dwarf jade plants, and ferns. An edible garden grows vegetables and herbs such as chili, basil, and turmeric.
