Finding a care home that is suitable to care for patients in the later stages of the disease is a major problem for relations and partners, as is the cost of care.
In the UK fees are around £1400 ($A2850) per week in a private care home, while a nursing home that has nurses on roster usually charges more.
UK families struggling with the challenges of dementia are increasingly looking overseas for care options.
One country that has emerged as an alternative is Thailand, historically well known for dental and cosmetic surgery at affordable prices.
Families of dementia patients are finding compassionate and comprehensive care in Thailand that prioritises the well-being of their loved ones while providing peace of mind.
The situation in Australia is not so fraught as in the UK but dementia care remains expensive and is not always adequate.
Residential care costs for dementia include a daily fee, set at 85 per cent of the single person pension, a means-tested care fee which may range up to $400 per day and accommodation costs. The cost of accommodation depends on the patient’s financial situation, the care provider, and the quality of the room chosen, with the option of a daily fee or a refundable deposit.
In practice the government pay about three-quarters of residential care costs.
While the financial incentives at moving a patient to Thailand from Australia are less than for UK residents other reasons, such as climate, accommodation, numbers of support staff, quality of care and 24hr support are powerful reasons for some families.
Arthur (not his real name) told Have a Go News that his former wife, Brenda, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease about eight years ago.
“We used to holiday in Thailand and we came across Care Resort Chiang Mai. It is a care home based on a four or five star resort with 70 villas.”
Care Resort Chiang Mai was started by Peter Brown, who moved to Thailand from the UK and opened a four-star resort in Chiang Mai 11 years ago.
When his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s he became unhappy with the quality of care she was receiving in her British care home. So, he modified 20 villas with accessible bathrooms and other features for dementia patients and people recovering from strokes and surgery.
“I don’t believe there are any relatives in the world who want to export their mother and father to a different country,” he told The Guardian.
“Dementia sufferers need a lot of time and that doesn’t fit in with the western lifestyle any more. The advantage with somewhere like Thailand is that the staff are a lot cheaper and the strong family culture here.
“People respect the elderly as a norm. In the west, we don’t respect the elderly.”
Arthur said Brenda had her own villa at first, but has now moved into 24 hour care.
“Tourists still use the other villas. They mix with patients and they eat at the same restaurant.”
The resort has massive gardens containing hundreds of trees and a lake, it is a fantastic place to walk and relax. The resort organises regular activities for the patients. These include arts and crafts, card and board games, ball games, singing, quizzes, photography, fishing, group games such as bingo and supervised swimming.
In addition, there are regular excursions for sightseeing and shopping trips.
Mr Brown says the aim is to make life as pleasant and varied as possible for guests. Having dementia should not stop enjoyment of life.
Arthur said the staff at Care Resort Chiang Mai are wonderful; they really look after patients.
“I can’t understand why anybody would not want to be cared for there. The alternative is care in Australia that is not fit for a dog.”
John Chalmers of New South Wales told Have a Go News that his father is also a patient at Care Resort Chiang Mai.
“My father has advanced dementia. He moved from Scotland to Chiang Mai eight months ago and last year I went to Thailand and spent a month with him.
“He is happy and well looked after, as he was in Scotland.
“He is given a suitable diet and patients are kept active. Groups of patients interact together happily. His room is well equipped, accessible, with grabrails and there is a button to call for help 24 hours/day.
“There are good rooms for family visits, often including grandchildren and access from Australia is easy.
“This model of dementia care should be adopted by the world, especially in the west and the UK in particular,” he said.
Three years ago, Care Resort Chiang Mai won an international award as best care for Alzheimer’s patients in the world.
Relocating to a residential care facility in Thailand requires a one-year visa which can be renewed annually. To be eligible for the visa, people must be 50 years old and must meet the financial requirements. They will need a deposit of 800,000 Thai Baht ($38,000) into a Thai bank account at least two months before applying.
Daily care costs with full board comes to around $5400 per month.
There are several other resorts in Thailand that provide nursing care for foreigners.
Dementia care in Thailand is not for everyone but it is an option worth considering if local support is inadequate or you need to care for an elderly relation in Europe with dementia.
