Swedish Proposition: Send The Elderly To Thailand – Services Are Cheaper

[bangon04]

I think it's a mistake to assume Thailand will always be cheaper.

Surely the key to this is the affordability of the healthcare for old people. What Health Insurance will replace the "free" universal healthcare that many europeans currently "enjoy".?

Can the members with experience of buying comprehensive healthcare insurance in Thailand make some recommendations?

[ppmacready]

Great Idea to send criminals here, India etc

Save a fortune and any re-offenders can then be certified Insane!

[bkk_mike]

The UK might do it for completely different reasons.

If you send the pensioners to Thailand, you stop having to give them inflation-based increases in their state benefits each year, AND you get to lower the NET immigration figures... - win win...

[Dario]

The idea is a good idea. Europe is so expensive and so cold most of the year, not only in winter. My mother lived in a home for the elderly together with my father. He died 4 years ago and I know why: he had completely lost interest in life when he had to move out of his home in a mountain valley. Since the home was so full, my parents were unable to get a room together.He didn't want to live anymore and died one year after he left the beautiful home he had before. I can understand how he must have felt. My mother's pension went completely to the home which is a company just like any other geared for profit. Anything ... was horrendously expensive. Just imagine, 1 l of Coke was priced at CHF 5.50 (178 Baht!!) whereas in Thailand you pay maybe 25 Baht for 1.25 l. A coffee at the home's coffee shop was about the same price. I took her to Thailand end of July 2009 and she enjoyed her time very much here in our previous home in Pattaya and then later here in the Isaan. In fact she liked it so much, that she told us and her friends and family back in Switzerland that she had no desire whatsoever to ever return to Switzerland. Here she had all she wanted. She was with us for almost three years. In the middle of last year she left us, exactly 90 years old. Her heart simply gave up because of her advanced age. My mother had no problems here with the climate. When it got hot, she lived in an air conditioned environment. She always had excellent medical care, although she had no health insurance anymore after she left Switzerland.

Sending western people to Thailand is a good idea if the right conditions are set for the pensioner. Unfortunately, there are almost no homes for the elderly here, especially homes to accommodate westerners. I know only of a very few homes, one near Buriram, one in Chiang Mai and one in Hua Hin. The Hua Hin home is not within reach of the big masses because of its pricing. Surely there must be a couple more homes spread over Thailand, but not enough. There is need for many such homes here!

I think, the best is for Germans living already in Thailand to build pensioner's homes for German people, so the pensioners feel they are among their own people. Likewise for Swiss, Italians or French, Americans, etc.

SInce the day I visited the home for the elderly where my parents used to live, I dream about having a home here to accommodate Swiss people, be they from the German, French or Italian part. If my health permits, I'm sure my dream will become reality in about two or three years. Here in Thailand - under the right conditions - pensioners from Europe, America , Japan, etc. can enjoy their old age where they get value for money in a climate where they don't have to endure the terrible cold. My mother had succumbed nearly twice before she came here from two violent noro virus attacks. That was when I decided to take her to Thailand.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Dario

[Semper]

Actually, thats a pretty good idea.

Really? Take folks used to colder weather and send them to a HOT tropical country?

Nobody gets used to cold weather, they just endure it.

[mickjn]

Great idea

[TommoPhysicist]

It is fine discussing this from the Swedish point of view , or that of any other nationality . Thailand is not so happy to have foreigners come to live here .

Sweden would have to provide BT800,000 for the bank account , an adequate monthly pension , a health insurance to cover hospital fees , doctors and prescriptions .

There would have to be an accord with the Thai government . From a foreigners point of view it could be good , so long as the financial backing is good enough .

For the most part the cost of living is infinitely less in Thailand and the elderly are less at risk from health problems in a warm climate , than freezing winter conditions .

They can get a medical Visa ..... no funds required, apart from those used to pay the medical costs.

[Naam]

That will become a big movement and thus business in the furture. Only the talkes are louder than the action. If a German pensionist lives outside the EU he gets a cut in his pension. And the mandatory care insurance does not pay a penny.

So we have to wait a few years until politican wake up as they cannot solve the problem anymore. So long we can enjoy Thailand a less professional way.

says WHO?

[glegolo]

So besides all jokes and all "good" solutions maybe somebody really should think about the individual human coming here from in this case, Sweden!

How fun it is for grandmother and grandfather to completely lose contact with their children and also their grandchildren. This must be a real lifesaver for them..... I think in theory it´s great, but in practice it really stinks this idea.... and it will never work, never...

Glegolo

[davejones]

I think many elderly people wish they had a chance to do this. I know many in UK who would rather be here than there. They'd be happier, and the government would save money. this should already be happening for those that are happy to make the move.

[Naam]

So besides all jokes and all "good" solutions maybe somebody really should think about the individual human coming here from in this case, Sweden!

How fun it is for grandmother and grandfather to completely lose contact with their children and also their grandchildren. This must be a real lifesaver for them..... I think in theory it´s great, but in practice it really stinks this idea.... and it will never work, never...

Glegolo

it works for some already. saw recently a documentary on Deutsche Welle about a small facility near Chiang Mai which takes care of Alzheimer's patients. the idea does not stink at all!

moreover, facilities in eastern Europe (e.g. Slovakia) are used since several years to take care of elderly persons who need assistance for each and everything.

[Carib]

Reading Thai-visa I thought this was already done by some countries

[impulse]

The UK might do it for completely different reasons.

If you send the pensioners to Thailand, you stop having to give them inflation-based increases in their state benefits each year, AND you get to lower the NET immigration figures... - win win...

Yes, but UK pensions paid into Thailand don't get spent in the UK, creating UK jobs, paying UK property taxes, and buying UK stuff with UK GST. They're probably better off paying more money to pensioners that spend that pension money in the UK.

Edited February 13, 2013 by impulse

[glegolo]

So besides all jokes and all "good" solutions maybe somebody really should think about the individual human coming here from in this case, Sweden!

How fun it is for grandmother and grandfather to completely lose contact with their children and also their grandchildren. This must be a real lifesaver for them..... I think in theory it´s great, but in practice it really stinks this idea.... and it will never work, never...

Glegolo

it works for some already. saw recently a documentary on Deutsche Welle about a small facility near Chiang Mai which takes care of Alzheimer's patients. the idea does not stink at all!

moreover, facilities in eastern Europe (e.g. Slovakia) are used since several years to take care of elderly persons who need assistance for each and everything.

If it takes Alzheimer to fit into this proposal, I still think it stinks actually

Glegolo

[BrooklynNY]

Doesn't the Swedish guy know how unreliable, greedy and crooked many Thai business are?

I know Thai mentality and I would not want to be sent to Thailand to be cared by a Thai nursing home.

Edited February 13, 2013 by BrooklynNY

[Dario]

Doesn't the Swedish guy know how unreliable, greedy and crooked many Thai business are?

I know Thai mentality and I would not want to be sent to Thailand to be cared by a Thai nursing home.

That is not what we are talking about here. Who from the western world would want to move to a Thai nursing home? For westerners we need nursing homes set up by westerners, of course. That's pretty clear.

[zoran1]

It's a trick. Thailand is too hot for them. A lot would not make it in April!

That is the meaning of this idea. In the Thai heat so they die quickly and Swedish governments avoid further cost

[RefinedGentleman]

I fail to see why the Swedish government needs to get involved - pensioners can come on their own (many already do). Not surprising, however, that the greedy Swedish bureaucrats want a piece of the action. And believe me, if they're involved, they WILL get a piece of the action which WILL raise the cost of services. Anything involving the Swedish government will see a sharp increase in cost, regulation, red tape, etc. BAD IDEA!

[Card]

Good idea?

I think there are many older people who today sits alone and abandoned in a nursing home in the welfare state of Denmark will like this idea.

These older people are not sick, but easily disabled (mobility difficulties, etc.) so they need daily help as a Thai may well give, and if there are other elderly people in the same situation, please send them to old age homes / nursing homes in Thailand and assign a few doctors who can inspect them if necessary.

I would like to be there...555 but I am also "elderly" and stay in Thailand already!!!

I very much doubt that an elderly farang who has reached that stage in life would want to risk being treated abroad. They want to be sure of good care, as in Sweden, and to be near their families.

[Potosi]

The idea is a good idea. Europe is so expensive and so cold most of the year, not only in winter. My mother lived in a home for the elderly together with my father. He died 4 years ago and I know why: he had completely lost interest in life when he had to move out of his home in a mountain valley. Since the home was so full, my parents were unable to get a room together.He didn't want to live anymore and died one year after he left the beautiful home he had before. I can understand how he must have felt. My mother's pension went completely to the home which is a company just like any other geared for profit. Anything ... was horrendously expensive. Just imagine, 1 l of Coke was priced at CHF 5.50 (178 Baht!!) whereas in Thailand you pay maybe 25 Baht for 1.25 l. A coffee at the home's coffee shop was about the same price. I took her to Thailand end of July 2009 and she enjoyed her time very much here in our previous home in Pattaya and then later here in the Isaan. In fact she liked it so much, that she told us and her friends and family back in Switzerland that she had no desire whatsoever to ever return to Switzerland. Here she had all she wanted. She was with us for almost three years. In the middle of last year she left us, exactly 90 years old. Her heart simply gave up because of her advanced age. My mother had no problems here with the climate. When it got hot, she lived in an air conditioned environment. She always had excellent medical care, although she had no health insurance anymore after she left Switzerland.

Sending western people to Thailand is a good idea if the right conditions are set for the pensioner. Unfortunately, there are almost no homes for the elderly here, especially homes to accommodate westerners. I know only of a very few homes, one near Buriram, one in Chiang Mai and one in Hua Hin. The Hua Hin home is not within reach of the big masses because of its pricing. Surely there must be a couple more homes spread over Thailand, but not enough. There is need for many such homes here!

I think, the best is for Germans living already in Thailand to build pensioner's homes for German people, so the pensioners feel they are among their own people. Likewise for Swiss, Italians or French, Americans, etc.

SInce the day I visited the home for the elderly where my parents used to live, I dream about having a home here to accommodate Swiss people, be they from the German, French or Italian part. If my health permits, I'm sure my dream will become reality in about two or three years. Here in Thailand - under the right conditions - pensioners from Europe, America , Japan, etc. can enjoy their old age where they get value for money in a climate where they don't have to endure the terrible cold. My mother had succumbed nearly twice before she came here from two violent noro virus attacks. That was when I decided to take her to Thailand.

When you make it a business, it's bound to become expensive inevitably, in Switzerland and Thailand alike. The best deal certainly enjoy the elderly who live on their own in a condo or house with their Thai GF or wife, beats any nurse. The problem remains health insurance, and quality of healthcare. Not even the most expensive hospitals and doctors can compete with the standard in Europe. Who comes to live in Thailand should also comprehend fully that he or she forgoes several years of lifetime. It's a dump, polluted at nauseam, home of a number of diseases extinct in the cool north. Malaria, Dengue, TB, Leprosy, Rabies for starters. Food poisoning is all too common, Salmonella and E-Coli quite deadly for old people. The risk of a fatal or debilitating traffic accident, or to become the victim of a homicide is about 1,000% higher than in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland.

Who wants to come for the closing years to Thailand should be enabled to do so, but you can't force and relocate the elderly who don't.

[circusman]

I think many elderly people wish they had a chance to do this. I know many in UK who would rather be here than there. They'd be happier, and the government would save money. this should already be happening for those that are happy to make the move.

I would like to know what would make them happier in Thailand.

It is not the promised land that is for sure. You can read all the bitching everday on Thaivisa.

[Dario]

The idea is a good idea. Europe is so expensive and so cold most of the year, not only in winter. My mother lived in a home for the elderly together with my father. He died 4 years ago and I know why: he had completely lost interest in life when he had to move out of his home in a mountain valley. Since the home was so full, my parents were unable to get a room together.He didn't want to live anymore and died one year after he left the beautiful home he had before. I can understand how he must have felt. My mother's pension went completely to the home which is a company just like any other geared for profit. Anything ... was horrendously expensive. Just imagine, 1 l of Coke was priced at CHF 5.50 (178 Baht!!) whereas in Thailand you pay maybe 25 Baht for 1.25 l. A coffee at the home's coffee shop was about the same price. I took her to Thailand end of July 2009 and she enjoyed her time very much here in our previous home in Pattaya and then later here in the Isaan. In fact she liked it so much, that she told us and her friends and family back in Switzerland that she had no desire whatsoever to ever return to Switzerland. Here she had all she wanted. She was with us for almost three years. In the middle of last year she left us, exactly 90 years old. Her heart simply gave up because of her advanced age. My mother had no problems here with the climate. When it got hot, she lived in an air conditioned environment. She always had excellent medical care, although she had no health insurance anymore after she left Switzerland.

Sending western people to Thailand is a good idea if the right conditions are set for the pensioner. Unfortunately, there are almost no homes for the elderly here, especially homes to accommodate westerners. I know only of a very few homes, one near Buriram, one in Chiang Mai and one in Hua Hin. The Hua Hin home is not within reach of the big masses because of its pricing. Surely there must be a couple more homes spread over Thailand, but not enough. There is need for many such homes here!

I think, the best is for Germans living already in Thailand to build pensioner's homes for German people, so the pensioners feel they are among their own people. Likewise for Swiss, Italians or French, Americans, etc.

SInce the day I visited the home for the elderly where my parents used to live, I dream about having a home here to accommodate Swiss people, be they from the German, French or Italian part. If my health permits, I'm sure my dream will become reality in about two or three years. Here in Thailand - under the right conditions - pensioners from Europe, America , Japan, etc. can enjoy their old age where they get value for money in a climate where they don't have to endure the terrible cold. My mother had succumbed nearly twice before she came here from two violent noro virus attacks. That was when I decided to take her to Thailand.

Not even the most expensive hospitals and doctors can compete with the standard in Europe.

I have found that the opposite can be true. Ask many foreigners who have been treated in hospitals in Thailand, what they would say. When my mother arrived in Thailand, she had heart and lung complications, her physician at a Swiss Cantonal Hospital said to her she does not have to stop smoking ( a few cigarettes per day). What a nonsense! After her arrival in Thailand I brought her to Sriracha Samitivej hospital where we met an extremely capable cardiologist who took her off her daily smoke immediately. My mother told me that treatment at these top rated hospitals is much better here than in Switzerland and doctors and nurses are way friendlier than back in CH. That doesn't make them better, I know, but some of them are more competent and many of them have studied overseas.

[Songhua]

Has Thailand been informed of this plan? I mean, it's going to be quite a shock for the Customs officers when they start breaking open crates on the wharf and find live geriatrics in them.

[Ian Curtis]

Actually, thats a pretty good idea.

Viagra sales will go through the roof

[Arkady]

Sounds like a good opportunity to rip off a lot of defenceless elderly people who have no idea what they are getting into.

[Ian Curtis]

The UK might do it for completely different reasons.

If you send the pensioners to Thailand, you stop having to give them inflation-based increases in their state benefits each year, AND you get to lower the NET immigration figures... - win win...

And they will get struck-off the National Health Service and still have to pay UK Income Tax on their pensions - Yea, the UK Government will go for this

[Ian Curtis]

Given the right incentive and assurances that 1st class medical service is provided I think many will go for it.

Yermanee

many will go for it if somebody will pay for it.

I think there will be some hidden costs here. Just imagine all these wheelchairs winging around the streets! They will need at least 3rd party insurance cover. If this scheme takes off then it could become like Worthing or Eastbourne in the UK where there is more chance of being run-over by a wheelchair than a car!

[alanferdi]

Yeah send them faster to their grave in humility! Farang is only a living ATM there are no rights and no protection

[saroq]

Actually, thats a pretty good idea.

Only if the elderly are not forced to leave their homes for cheap care in Thailand. I think that very few elderly would consider it a good idea to be separated from their homes, friends, family and all the things they know. While plenty of TV contributors are happy to live in Thailand the fact that most of our fellow countrymen and women don't follow us to the land of smiles would indicate that this idea would meet with a great deal of opposition from the majority of the population.

[Potosi]

I have found that the opposite can be true. Ask many foreigners who have been treated in hospitals in Thailand, what they would say. When my mother arrived in Thailand, she had heart and lung complications, her physician at a Swiss Cantonal Hospital said to her she does not have to stop smoking ( a few cigarettes per day). What a nonsense! After her arrival in Thailand I brought her to Sriracha Samitivej hospital where we met an extremely capable cardiologist who took her off her daily smoke immediately. My mother told me that treatment at these top rated hospitals is much better here than in Switzerland and doctors and nurses are way friendlier than back in CH. That doesn't make them better, I know, but some of them are more competent and many of them have studied overseas.

Actually, it's standard therapy in Thailand for all conditions. Go and have a tooth extracted, and the dentist tells you no smoking or alcohol. Catch the clap and get some antibiotics, no alcohol, and cigarettes. One can assume for heart and lung issues they say it twice. It is good advice, but low tech.

Most hospitals lack advanced medical machinery. BPH is the only one of four in Pattaya that's got an MRI, incubators for premies, and this stuff. I'm sure every country hospital in Switzerland has them. Every country hospital in Switzerland is cheaper than BPH. There's also a small cultural difference I find disturbing and dangerous, that's police and news teams having access to emergency rooms to interview and photograph people. It's supposed to be a clean area with restricted access to hinder infections of large injuries. It's supposed to try and safe lifes.