Caring for Alzheimer's patients in Thailand

Care of German Alzheimer's patients in Thailand

04/01/2014

More and more Germans and Swiss are caring for their Alzheimer's relatives in Thailand. The care there is considered cheaper and more personal. But there is also criticism.

Care in the north of Thailand
Currently, Thailand is in the international headlines mainly because of political unrest in the country. But far from the capital Bangkok, in northern Chiang Mai, many Germans and Swiss are dealing with completely different problems. For example, Ulrich Kuratli from Switzerland, who has to decide whether to leave his wife Susanna in the north of Thailand or bring her back home. The 65-year-old, once a successful painter, suffers from Alzheimer's and is currently working in the Baan Kamlangchay facility („Home for care that comes from the heart“) on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, about 700 kilometers north of Bangkok.

One third of the costs
For Ulrich Kuratli, the decision should be difficult. His wife, with whom he has been married for 41 years, would certainly be well cared for in their homeland, but the care in Thailand is considered less expensive and also more personal compared to Switzerland. The patients live in said facility in individual homes within a community, are brought to local markets, restaurants and temples and receive personal care around the clock. The cost of around 2,800 euros per month is only about one third of the sum that would devour Susanna Kuratli's care in an average home in Switzerland.

Jealous of the caregiver
Her husband gave himself half a year to make a decision. Meanwhile, he lives at the side of his wife in Baan Kamlangchay. He is currently inclined to let Susanna in Thailand. According to press reports, he said: „Sometimes I am jealous“, and further: „When I reach out to my wife, she does not take her, but when her caregiver takes her hand, she stays calm. She seems happy. When she sees me, she starts to cry. Maybe she remembers how it used to be and understands it, but can not express it in words anymore.“

Trend worries experts
More and more people in Western countries are facing a similar dilemma. On the one hand, the number of Alzheimer's patients is growing and, on the other hand, the cost of care is rising. In addition, the supply of qualified nurses and facilities hardly keep pace with development. This creates the situation that relatives often seek help in the distance, where the care usually cheaper and, as many think, is also better. This trend is being followed by some experts worried. Some of them think that uprooting harms Alzheimer's patients, such as increasing anxiety. Others argue that the quality of care is more important than the place.

Thousands of Germans are looked after abroad
The idea of ​​sending sick older people far away causes a certain discomfort for many people. But these are not isolated cases. Already several thousand Alzheimer's patients as well as seniors with other illnesses were brought from Germany to Eastern European countries like the Ukraine or to Spain and Greece. The Philippines are also among the providers of affordable care facilities. About 100 Americans would currently be looking for a childcare place, according to J.J. Reyes, who is planning a senior community near the capital, Manila.

More than 44 million Alzheimer's patients
In Alzheimer's sufferers suffer from a marked lack of memory and orientation function of the brain. First warning signs are a constant repetition of the same narratives, questions or phrases in older people. Decreasing to completely no longer exists the completion of everyday business, such as personal care and appearance, money transactions, answering simple questions and finding everyday objects. Later, loss of motor functions and emotional unpredictability are often added, which means constant care for those affected. According to the British organization Alzheimer's Disease International, there are more than 44 million people worldwide suffering from this disease. It is expected that this number will grow to 135 million by 2050.

Costs not covered by health insurance
As a rule, care abroad is not covered by health insurance. So it has to be paid out of pocket. State insurance in Switzerland would cover two-thirds of Susanna Kuratli's care. However, since private clinics with peak care costs the equivalent of 11,000 euros per month or even more, the care costs in Thailand would be cheaper. The establishment Baan Kamlangchay was founded by the Swiss Martin Woodtli, who was a member of „Doctors Without Borders“ spent four years in Thailand, and later his mother with Alzheimer's disease was the first one „guest“ (Woodtli never speaks of „patients“) brought to the care facility. Currently there are 13 „Guests“ from Switzerland and Germany. Almost every afternoon they gather in a private park for swimming, eating and resting on sun loungers. There are also regular excursions in the area.

Criticism of the German Alzheimer's Society
Sabine Jansen from the German Alzheimer's Society criticizes that adapting to a foreign place is difficult for most sufferers since they lived in a world with memories of the past. „They have a better orientation in their own homes and in their own communities. Friends, family members and neighbors can visit them. Also because of language and cultural reasons it is best for most to stay in their home country“, so the expert. (Ad)