where to place your old parents?

[pattayalover]

my parent becomes old and I need to think what to do with them. healthy but passed age 70.

in Europe retirement houses cost a lot.

pension is around 75'000 bahts a month.

I think they will like to stay near the sea. Pattaya, HuaHin...

what can you suggest me?.

I don't know how long they can stay in their condo in Europe . they actually rent but the owner maybe will sell the building one day and the rent will probably double. not worth to stay in Europe. I told them they can live much cheaper and have a better life with their saved money in Thailand.

In 2 years I will be 50 and I am thinking to get a retirement visa in Thailand. Thailand will become my home as it s cheaper for me to stay in Thailand than in Europe.

I could rent an apartment and hire a lady to take care of them.

or find a Thai retirement house for them.

any suggestions?

[lopburi3]

Thai retirement homes are few and far between - most Thai take care of there parents at home regardless of there financial means.  As they have no experience living here and if only in 70's are probably still active believe it may be a bit early to make firm plans - remember they will not have access to medical or normal public services that likely would have in there own country, and lose contact with everyone they know and pension would only cover visa requirements of one (the other would have to be dependent and that could cause issues if one died and pension were to decrease - but perhaps that would not happen).  But it seems you are not even living here yet? - better be sure you can adapt to living here first (it is not the same as visiting).  

[NancyL]

There are several assisted living centers in Chiang Mai.  The cheapest one that would appeal to a westerner is Dok Kaew Gardens and it starts at 32,000 baht/month for a nice studio apartment, meals, laundry service, social activities.  Your parents would probably share a room, so I doubt their fee would be 64,000 baht/month but if their pension is just 75,000 baht/month that doesn't leave much room for extras like medical expenses, which can mount up for the elderly.

 

Older people are more difficult to care for than you realize.  You can't just "hire a girl" for 4000-6000 baht per month and think that's all that's needed.  They'll need someone who is able to speak their language, cook the type of food they like and physically able to care for them when they're ill.  If you're living with them, it could be possible, but the idea of setting them up to live here without you around isn't a good idea.

[nickmanchester2]

my dad hates the heat, his favorite type of weather is a typical grey English day, my mum loves the temperature here, but has a lot of friends in the UK that she would not like to leave... no chance my dad would live out here - your parents both ok with the heat?

 

retirement home in soi 6 central pattaya as well by the way.

[FritsSikkink]

Maybe ask your parents what they want, it isn't up to you.

[Asiang]

Just one good idea: move them together before one of them stays alone, or you will never be able to ask the left one to move alone to Thailand...

[billd766]

20 hours ago, NancyL said:

There are several assisted living centers in Chiang Mai.  The cheapest one that would appeal to a westerner is Dok Kaew Gardens and it starts at 32,000 baht/month for a nice studio apartment, meals, laundry service, social activities.  Your parents would probably share a room, so I doubt their fee would be 64,000 baht/month but if their pension is just 75,000 baht/month that doesn't leave much room for extras like medical expenses, which can mount up for the elderly.

 

Older people are more difficult to care for than you realize.  You can't just "hire a girl" for 4000-6000 baht per month and think that's all that's needed.  They'll need someone who is able to speak their language, cook the type of food they like and physically able to care for them when they're ill.  If you're living with them, it could be possible, but the idea of setting them up to live here without you around isn't a good idea.

 

I agree with Nancy about assisted living centres where there are more than one "helpers" and manpower is literally available as distinct from living in your own rented apartment, where ideally you are on the ground floor. That makes it easier for wheelchair, stretcher and coffin access.

 

One problem with Western elderly people is that in general they are heavier than Thais so if you are like me at 121kg one Thai girl cannot lift you or move you around so you would need 2 or 3.

 

In addition the carers would probably need fairly good medical training, especially in moving patients, because doing it wrongly can result in permanent damage to the carers body. A damaged back is a very painful thing to have.

 

Reasonable spoken and reading English is also very important if the carer is involved in giving medication.

[dbrenn]

18 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

I agree with Nancy about assisted living centres where there are more than one "helpers" and manpower is literally available as distinct from living in your own rented apartment, where ideally you are on the ground floor. That makes it easier for wheelchair, stretcher and coffin access.

 

One problem with Western elderly people is that in general they are heavier than Thais so if you are like me at 121kg one Thai girl cannot lift you or move you around so you would need 2 or 3.

 

In addition the carers would probably need fairly good medical training, especially in moving patients, because doing it wrongly can result in permanent damage to the carers body. A damaged back is a very painful thing to have.

 

Reasonable spoken and reading English is also very important if the carer is involved in giving medication.

Coffin access? You've thought of everything . ..

[OMGImInPattaya]

There are some nice nursing homes in CM and Satahip,  as well as Bangkok.  Google is your friend. In Pattaya, Namthip Nursing Home out Maprachan way is an option...know a couple people who have had hospice care there.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Coffin access? You've thought of everything . ..

 

When my MIL died a year ago we had to get her out of her small house and into the coffin and down 3 steps to the ground.

 

There was a problem as a Thai sized coffin just fits through a standard Thai door but not when 4 guys are trying to carry it. Only 2 will fit, one at each end with their hands under the coffin and not at the sides. After that it was easy. This was the cheap cremation coffin that she was cremated in. They loaded her into the bed of a pickup truck and took her to the local Wat where the coffin was put into the ceremonial one for the services. These are pretty much standard coffins available in most villages but of course if you want a better one for show and face they are available at an extra cost.

 

Now consider that most farangs are larger and heavier than the majority of Thais and that the local village coffin shops dont cater for us as a stock item so they will be a special order at an extra cost. They will of course be larger and more sturdy thus making them more difficult to get in and out of the standard doorways and requiring more and stronger men to shift them.

 

Also there is the fact that the police will have to be notified and your body taken to the hospital, certainly for examination and possible autopsy to make sure that you died a natural death. If the results of that are clear then your family can reclaim your body to dispose of it as requested.

 

I wont go into what paperwork will be required from the police, your embassy, the local amphur, your family if any in your home country but you need to hope that your wife speaks, reads and writes perfect English and if you are getting a UK state pension she will need to speak Geordie too. The embassy will be a PITA and annoyed at having to do the paperwork because you died in a foreign country and the demand that your passport be returned as well.

 

They really good thing as far as you are concerned is that because you are dead it wont be your problem to sort out.

 

If you are a good guy you will have done all this planning while you are alive to make your Thai family's life easier.

[NickJ]

I moved my healthy Mother here. She was just past 70. Loved it. Had friends and a nice life. She lived in my near perfect home. 

Stroke.

Over three years In the hospital. Three plus million US dollar bill. She died.

She had insurance for about 90%.