According to the United Nations World Population Aging, Thailand is transitioning into an aging society. The United Nations stated said that “Which country has a population aged 60 years and over, 10% of the country's population is an aging society” and will be a "full aged society" when the proportion of the population aged 60 years and over is more than 20%. In 2021, Thailand will be a full aging society with people over 60 years old, more than 20% of the total population. This situation is the result of economic and national development, science, technological advancement and medicine make people live longer. Family planning policy or fertility control causing a rapid reduction in fertility decline in population mortality levels. Causing the number and proportion of the elderly population of Thailand to increase rapidly.
Therefore, it is necessary to prepare and deal with the changes both physical and mental. When the elderly in society have knowledge, abilities, and potential, they can drive the economy and society more efficiently.
Read your interested topicA social foundation for preparing an aged society
From this situation, The entering of the aging society will be an important problem for the future country development. Because the government has to take better care of the elderly. At the same time, the ability to compete in the country will decrease when the population working age decreases. There are many agencies both public and private that focus on this problem and create a solution. Thailand should adjust and prepare for these changes. Including advice of finances, savings, investments, for the elderly having capital to support themselves. Including taking care of the health and well-being of the elderly, etc.
For the state policies, there are 5 strategies to support the Department of Elderly Affairs, including:
1. The population preparing for the quality elderly
2. Support and development of the elderly
3. Social protection system for the elderly
4. Management for the development of the elderly with a national integration and the elderly personal development.
5. Development processing and disseminating knowledge on the elderly and monitoring and evaluating from The National Elderly Plan.
It is also important to create a suitable living space for the elderly. To consist of the activities or the daily routine of the elderly.
Why should there be a residential area especially for the elderly?
The elderly have a physical limitation and the needs are different from younger and worker age. Therefore, the residential arrangement for the elderly should not focus only on beauty, luxury or traveling convenience, but should focus on the comfort space that will facilitate daily routine, safety and mental enjoyment of home living suit with a deterioration of the body.
However, the selection of construction materials products is an important factor. It can reduce an elderly’s danger such as step-stoppers, Crocodile Stair Nosing Glow Plus Microban and stair noses innovation to increase safety and easier to see in the dark, reduces accidents from tripping, slipping or missteps on stairs in low light areas. Make the elderly have a better vision of walking up the stairs. Crocodile Tile Trim Plus Microban is a microban technology that inhibits black mold and bacteria, uses high quality material, flexible, good impact resistance, not crispy, not easy to break, protects and closes the edge of the tile harmoniously. It is also important to consider the colors that will be used in the project. It should suit the elderly, environmentally friendly, free from volatile substances (NON VOCs) and free from carcinogens. Safety for the respiratory system of the residents.
Therefore, home management for the elderly needs to focus on all subjects sensitively. Both principles of proper living environment management, thinking of basic needs, individual needs and social needs for the elderly can be our part of society, make they feel valuable, useful to society and create pride themselves, not a society burden. Make the happiness of the elderly and benefit society with quality elderly people and a happy society.
Real estate model for the elderly
There are many types of real estate projects for the elderly today, including:
1.the business model of selling to live for life Project. The elderly are not real estate owners and cannot sell the rights to others. But the highlight depends on the environment design and the appropriate facilities including daily medical services.
2.The real estate projects for sale which focus on house design for the elderly such as each home has an alarm to a nursing station or central care or an investment in convenience facilities and complete service centers in the project.
The highlights of both projects have the central care which manages medical services and joint activities, and attempt to change the image of retirement housing to an investment for purchasing essential services and a quality lifestyle when retired.
The government's first comprehensive senior housing center
Treasury Department and Mahidol University, Ramathibodi Hospital have agreed to build a senior housing center (Senior Complex) or Rama – Treasury, a housing project for the elderly. Focusing on being a comprehensive health and wellness service center. The Treasury Department supports and supervises this project. The project will be managed at Ratchaphatsadu, Bang Pla Subdistrict, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province. Total area about 72 rai, value about 49.48 million baht, which will be divided into 3 zones:
1) Hospice Zone: a suite of 30-55 square meters, built as a residence for the elderly, a comprehensive learning and development center for the elderly and end-of-life care.
2) Senior Housing Zone, for the elderly who need rehabilitation or health rehabilitation. There are both single and shared rooms, have a team of doctors to take care and elderly caregivers more than 1,000 of people.
3) Nursing Home Zone, 10 rai of areas. It is a zone that cares for the elderly who need help. It’s a part of the hospital which has medical equipment for the elderly.
A model project of elderly housing among an environment conducive to elderly holistic health care with medical personnel to provide proper care under the concept of project design, including:
- Natural Healing, natural design with trees and various plants, Make the elderly feel fresh both physically and mental.
- Social Healing, a center care design to conducive the interaction between people in the project
- Activity Healing, an area for a variety of activities for the elderly and their families to develop both physical and mental health.
-Spiritual Healing, Mental-intellectual therapy, a prayer area to create a state of mind within a clear mind.
“Super Aged Society” will occur within 2035, which is estimated that an aging population will up to 30% of all total population.
Therefore, it seems that Thailand is ready to deal with the change of population’s age and ready to support what will happen in the future for the health and well-being of all populations.
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Rama-Thanarak, Elderly housing project “(Senior Housing Zone).
