Have you ever noticed how, while we focus on chasing dreams and growing our lives, time quietly moves forward? Parents, grandparents, and the elderly at home are entering a stage of life that requires more care, while children are rapidly growing up. Sometimes, we forget that every age group in a family needs their own form of attention.
This sentiment came to life through the “Board Game: Golden Age” workshop at the SX IDEA LAB zone of SUSTAINABILITY EXPO 2025 (SX2025), held on 27 September 2025, from 18:00-19:00 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The activity attracted teenagers, working adults, and seniors alike to play a game that emphasized the importance of sustainable elderly care, and invited everyone to reflect on their own future when they too will reach this stage of life.
The session was led by Sutthida Choosompob, Korrawan Kaewpradit, and Nawapol Buason, youth speakers from Bangkok University under the Youth in Charge project, which aims to use games as a tool for awareness. Participants entered a simulated world, taking on family roles as elderly caregivers, each with different responsibilities, goals, and challenges, from managing income and health to balancing time.
Once the game began, each team had to strategize, roll dice, and tackle real-life-inspired event cards—from sudden health emergencies to rising expenses or emotional changes in the elderly. Through these scenarios, players discovered that real family caregiving is also filled with challenges that require teamwork to overcome. The result was a lively atmosphere full of laughter, problem-solving conversations, and deeper understanding: “Elderly care is not just about money or health, but about attention and collaboration from everyone in the household.”
As Sutthida Choosompob reflected:
“The people we love are changing from who they once were, and we need to understand and care for them in the present, not just in our memory of the past. This game allows players to take on the role of family members responsible for caring for elderly relatives, showing that caregiving is not easy but is essential for them to age well, and for us to prepare to age sustainably ourselves.”
Although Golden Age is only a role-playing board game, its impact was real. Participants walked away with a clearer picture of the changes their elderly loved ones face, changes they may have overlooked before, and with the realization that the younger generation must also be ready for their own journey of sustainable aging.
