Thailand relies on volunteers to handle the elderly in the society

[snoop1130]

 

Ministry of Public Health has introduced the village health volunteer system to the country.

 

Volunteers take responsibility not only for basic healthcare for the elderly such as measuring their blood pressure and glucose or advising them how to take care of their health but also taking care of their daily lives and mental health to make sure the elderly won’t feel lonely or become depressed.

 

Thailand has welcomed its fully aging society this year with more than 13 million elderly people across the country. According to the National Statistical Office of Thailand, approx. 30% of them or almost are home alone.

 

-- © Copyright A24 News Agency 2022-02-14

 

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[bkk6060]

So, approx. 4 million elderly Thais are alone?

Very sad if true but not my experience, Thai families seem to take care of their elderly much more so then the west.  

[Saanim]

17 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

So, approx. 4 million elderly Thais are alone?

Very sad if true but not my experience, Thai families seem to take care of their elderly much more so then the west.  

Just consider the millions of single young and middle age people who live in Bkk, working in offices, staying in condos., enjoying life of the City.  And the millions not only in Bkk, also in other larger agglomerations as Pattaya, Phuket.  And not to forget the armies of workers in the industrial estates far away from their homes. 

 

Who does care for their parents left up country?

[edwinchester]

59 minutes ago, Saanim said:

Just consider the millions of single young and middle age people who live in Bkk, working in offices, staying in condos., enjoying life of the City.  And the millions not only in Bkk, also in other larger agglomerations as Pattaya, Phuket.  And not to forget the armies of workers in the industrial estates far away from their homes. 

 

Who does care for their parents left up country?

Spot on. We live in a small village and 6 out of the 7 nearest houses are lived in by either aging single persons or couples whose kids have either left for good or at best return to the village once or twice a year.

[Lacessit]

My GF's father is on his last legs, kidney failure. The family rotates to ensure someone is with him 24/7. Relatives from several parts of Thailand are visiting as well.

[Tarteso]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

to make sure the elderly won’t feel lonely or become depressed.

This is a responsibility of the government in power, not of volunteers. Give them a DECENT Pension, no Chinese submarines and rockets to the moon…

[Saanim]

3 hours ago, Tarteso said:

This is a responsibility of the government in power, not of volunteers. Give them a DECENT Pension, no Chinese submarines and rockets to the moon…

There are certain provisions (old age hostels) made by provincial administrations for such cases of poor people not having anybody to care for them.

 

Surely it's not all perfect. How perfect is it by rich countries, everybody has a  "DECENT Pension"? And no "submarines a rockets to the moon"? and something more? (even also Tent Cities...)

 

 

[billd766]

16 hours ago, Lacessit said:

My GF's father is on his last legs, kidney failure. The family rotates to ensure someone is with him 24/7. Relatives from several parts of Thailand are visiting as well.

That is similar to my FIL. He lived in Bang Na, Bangkok and my eldest BIL and his wife, youngest BIL and his wife plus my wife who lives with me 350km away took it in turns to be with him 24/7 while he was in hospital, and when they could do more for him the hospital sent him home and the family looked after him there until he died.

[zzaa09]

18 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

So, approx. 4 million elderly Thais are alone?

Very sad if true but not my experience, Thai families seem to take care of their elderly much more so then the west.  

The instinctive familial, social and community extensions are quite strong here - as it might be throughout most of the traditional world. 

[GreasyFingers]

7 hours ago, Tarteso said:

This is a responsibility of the government in power, not of volunteers. Give them a DECENT Pension, no Chinese submarines and rockets to the moon…

Why is it the government's job. Just because you were brought up that way does not mean it is the best way. The elderly need help, and it is their kids' responsibility, but many around here are neglected by their kids who live in good houses or condos while the parent(s) suffer in not much more than a hovel.

 

No different to the west. Some good, some bad.

[BangkokReady]

"Most non-Western cultural attitudes to the elderly explained in a negative and click-baity headline!"

[Tarteso]

1 hour ago, GreasyFingers said:

Why is it the government's job. Just because you were brought up that way does not mean it is the best way.

This is my experience;  I take care of my wife's grandparents who live in my house, where there is enough space, they have their independence within the home and they are active in fruit orchard work until they are starting to get sick. This is the way I was raised and educated, taking care of the elders.  In recent times and due to their advanced age, we spend more time in the hospital than at home. We take care of them with the love and respect they deserve.  They both receive a state pension of just over 500 baht/m.  I insist,   A pension of 500 makes me laugh the same that makes me laugh the government budget for elderly care in Thailand and whose responsibility belongs to the volunteers and free of charge.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Tarteso