Why Parkinson's patients in Thailand are encouraged to say a prayer

With one in one hundred elderly Thais prone to Parkinson's disease, there are various therapies in place to help patients cope with the the loss of muscle control, balance and movement. Another specific symptom Parkinson's is the gradual loss of voice control.

To prevent vocal degeneration, people with Parkinson's are encouraged to sing and speak regularly.  But for isolated elderly patients, singing isn't as often a part of daily routines as prayer is. Noting that 76% of Thais practice daily prayers, Dentsu Thailand partnered with doctors at Vajira Hospital to develop an app that turns these regular prayers into interactive speech exercises. 

The app encourages people with Parkinson's to say their prayers clearly at a consistent volume to be heard, with scores to track performance and reminders to continue the routine. The app allows users to select the religion of their choice and has options for secular users. 

The case study claims 80% of users showed speech improvement with further positive results for self-practice frequency. 

Campaign's take: The therapeutic effectiveness of the app is for medical specialists to judge, but the scaling of the program to hospitals nationwide as the case study claims is a positive sign. The use of a daily routine practice by a specific audience as a vehicle for therapy and changing behaviour is admirable and Campaign appreciates the efforts to extend the prayer activity to those with a wide variety of beliefs. 

CREDITS

Subun Khow, Chief Creative Officer
Krissda Kanittasoontorn, Creative Director
Wisanu Phu-artdun, Creative Group Head
Ekkapat Tuiprasert, Creative Group Head
Chotiwat Thasanasuwan, Senior Creative Group Head 

Kittiya Korkerd, Art director
Patcharin Sukorat, Executive Director, Client Management
Suvimol Sakchavengpoosit, Account Director
App developer: To the mars
Production: Renegade group