Assisted-care facilities in Thailand

[Beau Curt]

long-time lurker here ...

 

a friend (of a friend) has abruptly decided to sell the family home in Boston and move with his wife, who has been diagnosed with dementia, to an assisted-living facility in Thailand (CM)

 

I am sure that there are many facilities in Thailand that could fit the bill
I just dont have any personal knowledge

 

at the moment, with very outside little input, he is considering:

Vivo Bene CM—started by a Swiss hotelier
Care Resort CM—started by a Brit

 

does anyone have any have any experience with either of these two places?
or any other recommended location ??

 

many thanks

PS if Sheryl responded, I would be doubly grateful 

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, Beau Curt said:

I am sure that there are many facilities in Thailand that could fit the bill

Actually there are not many such facilities at all as most people treat family at home as the cost of help is not that high here.  I hope both have been here and will be able to adapt to the change, climate, language, customs.  This is a major change, especially if still mentally active.  My wife has (and is Thai) and the last thing she would ever want to do is move to unfamiliar surroundings.

 

[Sheryl]

Personally I would recommend McKean Dok Kaew gardens.  Less expensive, very good service and not for profit.

 

https://mckean.or.th/

 

I recently looked into this for relatives with a similar situation (1 spouse dementia and the other OK) and got this additional information emailed to me from an American volunteer working there:

 

"McKean is developing a program of multi-tiered age care, so we have four different kinds of services available.  The first is a new independent living project called Sunflower Village.  These are duplexes set up as a small unit with living room, separate bedroom, kitchenette, master and guest bathroom.  These units will include an emergency call system, but other services such as housekeeping, food service, laundry or nurse aide care will have to be arranged and paid for separately.  The cost of these units if rented monthly will be 25,000 baht (you can make sure this is accurate with the people organizing the project as there may be long stay discounts etc.) 

 

Just around the corner is Dok Kaew Gardens which is the assisted living facility.  We offer a complete monthly package which includes an air conditioned private furnished room with private bath, laundry, housekeeping, three meals, utilities, medication management and nurse aide assistance all included.  There are two levels of care, one level for people who can do all of their own self-care and do not  need regular nurse aide assistance. There is however an call light for 24 hour emergency assistance.  The cost of one person per one room is 33,000 baht per month.  The rooms are usually too small for two people for anything but a short stay.  A better option for a couple is to have two rooms with an internal connecting door.  The cost would be for 2 rooms = 66,000 baht.  We have one couple who use this configuration and they have one room set up as a bedroom, on the other as a living room.    We have also had couples with one spouse in a low care room and one in a high care room. 

 

At Dok Kaew we also have a high care wing.  This is for people who need more nurse aide assistance.  For instance if someone needs help showering, getting dressed, getting to the bathroom etc.  The rooms are the same size and services are the same, but because the person needs more assistance, the cost is 46,000 baht per month.  I will add that people with dementia should be in the high care wing when their dementia gets to the place where they might wander out, or go out and not be able to find their way back.  The high care wing has a security door with a passcode, but the low care rooms are open to an outside walkway.The fourth level of services at McKean is McKean Senior Hospital which acts as a skilled nursing facility. 

 

In my experience so far, in working with people with dementia, and aged care in general, is that the factors regarding care will be changing as people's condition changes.  We really try to help each person in their particular situation to come up with the best solution possible, and then adjust as the care needs change.  Moving from one level of care to another, or adding additional services is not a problem.  You could arrange for a time to visit via this e-mail or call the office, 053-124-430"

 

I will PM  you the Volunteer's name and email address

 

Mckean is not as luxurious as some of the private places but I think there is a real advantage to being in a not-for-profit setting. More reliable/less likely to steeply raise rates or sell to someone else who may manage things not as well both of which are risks with any for-profit operation.

 

They will need to factor in cost of health insurance and that can be quite steep - and hard to obtain for the wife given her dementia. The health insurance requirement for entry and for extension of stay varies by visa type and is a whole discussion unto itself. Will be a potential obstacle for the wife given her pre-existing dementia. Medicare does not provide any coverage in Thailand, they will have to get private policies.