Exclusive resort in Chiang Mai for Swiss Alzheimer's patients

[khwaibah]

MEDICAL TOURISM

Exclusive resort in Chiang Mai for Swiss Alzheimer's patients

BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT

THE NATION

Chiang Mai October 11, 2013 1:00 am

Vivo bene resort for Swiss Alzheimer patients will be opened officially in February 2014. Located at Doi Saket, Chiang Mai, its construction costs Bt250 million and can welcome 90 patients in capacity.

Swiss tourists usually take the 11-hour flight to Thailand to explore its cultural sites and enjoy the white-sand beaches, but from next year, many could also be flying in to make use of the long-stay facilities in Chiang Mai for Alzheimer's patients.

Bernhard Rutz, who set up the Vivo Bene resort in the northern city last year, said the location was perfect, as the local people are friendly, there is easy access to medical services, the living costs are affordable and it is rich in natural and cultural beauty.

Rutz is one of the three major shareholders of Vivo Bene Thailand, which is wholly owned by Swiss operators. With an investment of Bt250 million, construction of the resort began last November and is scheduled to open its doors officially in February.

Located in Doi Saket, the 12-rai (2-hectare) complex will have six units with 12 rooms to house about 90 patients. Inside, facilities range from restaurant and spa with massage to a hairdressing and beauty salon. Four hotel villas with two rooms each will serve as accommodation for visiting family members and friends.

Its location, just 20 minutes from downtown Chiang Mai, ensures easy access to urgent medical care. Rutz said he expected occupancy of 60-70 per cent after opening, and if his projections are correct and the resort proves to be a success, it will be expanded to increase the number of patients to 200. Vivo Bene already has three patients in hand.

The company is fully foreign-owned because the investment was made under the Board of Investment. Rutz said he had already had a bitter experience in Bali, where he set up a two-star hotel using a local nominee to deal with the investment regulations and ended up being cheated out of the business.

Though the resort has been built in Lanna style, all its facilities and services follow Swiss standards. The patients will be taken care of by experienced German- and French-speaking medical staff, who will also occasionally take them out of the complex for exploration trips.

Accommodation for one person will cost 5,800 Swiss francs (Bt199,000) per month and will cover daily necessities including food, non-alcoholic drinks and personal care. He said this was far cheaper than in Switzerland, where patients were charged based on their condition.

For instance, a patient in a bad condition may end up having to pay 13,000 francs per month, while a medium-level patient could end up paying about 12,700 francs per month.

He explained that there was a rising demand for housing, as the population in many European countries was ageing.

In Switzerland, the retirement age for men is 65 and 64 for women. During their working years, they contribute 25 per cent of their income to social-security and pension schemes, and earn about Bt200,000 on average after retirement.

Plus, the country's statistics show that the number of Alzheimer's patients is on the rise, and will increase from 125,000 in 2010, to 160,000 in 2020, 218,000 in 2030 and 263,000 in 2040. When compared to the total population of 8 million, this group makes up 1.9 per cent of the total in 2020, 2.5 per cent in 2030, and 2.95 per cent in 2040.

Also, the number of people aged over 65 is projected to about 1.68 million in 2020, 2.11 million in 2030, and 2.39 million in 2040. For those aged over 80, its number will increase to 561,000 in 2020, 735,000 in 2030, and 1.09 million in 2040. And those aged over 90 will grow to 104,000 in 2020, 150,000 in 2030, and 231,000 in 2040, thanks to medical advancement.

In 2010, the number of people aged over 65, 80, and 90 was about 1.53 million, 444,000, and 66,000 respectively.

However, Rutz acknowledged that though the opportunity was big, it would still be difficult to persuade them to stay at Vivo Bene, adding that many he ad expressed concerns about the medical care available. Also, Alzheimer's patients find it difficult to make changes.

Hence, he said, the company has decided to stand up to the challenge and is planning to bring all parties involved to tour the site.

Mods feel free to movie.

[elektrified]

"The company is fully foreign-owned because the investment was made under the Board of Investment. Rutz said he had already had a bitter experience in Bali, where he set up a two-star hotel using a local nominee to deal with the investment regulations and ended up being cheated out of the business."

The Swiss are very clever when it comes to these kinds of things. I'm surprised they let it happen to them in Bali.

The figure of 5800 CHF per month is interesting as that is pretty much exactly what the average Swiss citizen earns per month from social security. As I recall, even if you never work a day in your life there is an option to pay in a one-lump sum before you reach age 64/65 so you can get this benefit. Americans, read it and weep!

[Naam]

rule of thumb = swiss social security payment is ~65% of the average salary over an assumed working period of 45 years. it's neither rocket science nor does one need a calculator to shoot from the hip and conclude that

The figure of 5800 CHF per month is interesting as that is pretty much exactly what the average Swiss citizen earns per month from social security.

is a load of rubbish.

addendum: the cap for swiss social security payment (based on the mandatory premiums paid which are capped too!) is CHF 28,080 per annum = THB ~960,000 p.a. = THB 80,000 per month.

http://www.123-pensionierung.ch/de/ahv/hoehe-ahv/

any Swiss citizen drawing CHF 5,800 per month must have saved all his working life to accumulate additional investments.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Naam

[eden8]

isn't 5800 CHF per month on the high side?

[Naam]

isn't 5800 CHF per month on the high side?

not for Thai journalists

[davehowden]

"Alzheimer’s treatment breakthrough: British scientists pave way for simple pill to cure disease"

Oh what a bugger!!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/alzheimers-treatment-breakthrough-british-scientists-pave-way-for-simple-pill-to-cure-disease-8869716.html

[hellodolly]

"Alzheimer’s treatment breakthrough: British scientists pave way for simple pill to cure disease"

Oh what a bugger!!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/alzheimers-treatment-breakthrough-british-scientists-pave-way-for-simple-pill-to-cure-disease-8869716.html

But they say it is a long way off. Won't help a lot of us.

[SantiSuk]

Sounds cruel to subject an Alzheimers patient to continuing care in a completely different/foreign environment. Likely to confuse them even more and cause emotional pain in their final years.

[yankee99]

Sounds cruel to subject an Alzheimers patient to continuing care in a completely different/foreign environment. Likely to confuse them even more and cause emotional pain in their final years.

they might not even know they're in a foreign country.

[lannarebirth]

There has been a successful Swiss run Alzheimers resident treatment center in Faham for a number of years already.

http://www.topnews.in/health/foreign-alzheimers-patients-find-new-home-thailand-22340

[Naam]

There has been a successful Swiss run Alzheimers resident treatment center in Faham for a number of years already.

http://www.topnews.in/health/foreign-alzheimers-patients-find-new-home-thailand-22340

i saw a documentary a year or two ago and was quite impressed. but the size of that institution is mini compared to the one mentioned above.

[Naam]

Sounds cruel to subject an Alzheimers patient to continuing care in a completely different/foreign environment. Likely to confuse them even more and cause emotional pain in their final years.

they might not even know they're in a foreign country.

correct! mother-in-law suffered from Alzheimer's for nearly a decade. three sisters took turns taking care of her in three different homes. the old lady was quite happy to see a different environment every 12 months. it's not the patients but the relatives who suffer.

[uptheos]

Sounds cruel to subject an Alzheimers patient to continuing care in a completely different/foreign environment. Likely to confuse them even more and cause emotional pain in their final years.

they might not even know they're in a foreign country.

correct! mother-in-law suffered from Alzheimer's for nearly a decade. three sisters took turns taking care of her in three different homes. the old lady was quite happy to see a different environment every 12 months. it's not the patients but the relatives who suffer.

Who makes this decision.....the person holding power of attorney?

I guess several thousand miles distance, will eliminate any regular visiting.

[orang37]

"Good morning, Herr Andreas."

"What month is this ?"

"It's December, Herr Andreas."

"Where is the snow ?"

"In Thailand we don't have snow."

"What did they do with the snow ?"

"Herr Andreas, there is no snow here for anyone to do anything with."

"Who are you ?"

"I am Nurse Kittakorn."

"I had a cat."

"I like cats, Herr Andreas."

"Are you my wife ?"

"No, Herr Andreas I am your nurse."

"Do you ski ?"

"No, Herr Andreas."

"I want a sachertorte."

"We have porridge for breakfast, today, Herr Andreas."

~o:37;

[cmsally]

However good the project is, there is a big problem with sending a relation to a foreign country. Of course for those with family that live or have a home here, not such a problem. That being, what if the place should go out of business, it is not a simple feat to get a very old and sick person half way across the world. If you are suddenly faced with "Uncle Albert" being homeless at the end of the month, you could have one heck of a problem.

[MisterTee]

Sounds cruel to subject an Alzheimers patient to continuing care in a completely different/foreign environment. Likely to confuse them even more and cause emotional pain in their final years.

they might not even know they're in a foreign country.

Then right off the bat they'd have something in common with most of the expats here.