Examples are health check-up clinics, retirement homes, health resorts, electronic goods and apparel for seniors, and insurance and financial plans for retirees.

Impact Exhibition Management Co Ltd, operator of  Impact Muang Thong Thani, will hold the "Smart & Happy 50 Up" fair from August 9-13 at Hall 4.

"Impact has organised many fairs and exhibitions: cars, apparel, food, even a pet fair. But we have never organised a fair to target this group of elderly people," managing director Paul Kanjanapas said yesterday.

Impact has joined with World Expo Service Co Ltd, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, medical science institutes and Public Health Ministry to organise the fair.

The exhibition will feature more than 5,000 square metres devoted to healthcare products, services, educational seminars and various activities to improve the quality of life for elders.

Tanin Sonthiraksa, specialist in geriatrics and gerontology at the Public Health Ministry, said the global population increase is 1 per cent a year on average while the annual growth of elderly people is 6 per cent, and up to 8 per cent a year for centenarians and over.

He said that in Japan there are  more than 30,000 centenarians. In the US, it is projected that this segment of the population will reach over one million in the next 50 years.

"In Thailand, between 8 per cent and 9 per cent of the total population are elderly people aged 60 and above. The ratio of elderly people will rise to 14 per cent in 2017," Tanin said.

He added that when Thailand moves to an aged population society, state welfare alone will not contribute enough funding to care for the elderly. Individuals will need to prepare their own savings for when they retire - at a level of least Bt3.7 million to maintain a decent standard of living.

Tanin said that elderly people have huge purchasing power. In United Kingdom, 65 per cent of property ownership was in hands of people aged 65 years and above. He added that people would move their concerns from biological safety to psychological security when they get older.

"The great businesses for those elderly consumers are those which will help them to reduce disability and maintain their quality of life," said Tanin.

Atchima Suwanchinda, medical director of Almedex, an institute for health, beauty and wellness, said the institute now serves over 1,000 visitors a year: 80 per cent older than 35 and 10-15 per cent aged over 60.

"Thais, particularly the elderly, are more concerned about their health. They seek a protective way to maintain healthy lives," said Atchima, adding that Almedex also offers many courses for elderly customers including an age management and special exercise programme. The cost for a health check-up is about Bt30,000.

Suteera Chamlongsupalak, senior manager for the learning media department of Loxley Plc, said the company set up an "Old People Playing Young" (OPPY) club six years ago aimed at reducing the age gap among its employees.

"The OPPY club has more than 2,600 members of which 50 per cent are active," said Suteera.

 "We will build a new community for these elderly people through new learning courses, about computers for example. They can spend time at the club to learn computers from using the mouse to send e-mail and adjust their own photo graphics on the computer screen."

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation