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Outline of the Project

Project Name

The Project of Long-Term Care Service Development for the Frail Elderly and Other Vulnerable People

Country

Thailand

Project Type

Technical Cooperation Project

Term of Cooperation

Jan. 14, 2013 to Aug. 31, 2017

Implementing Organization

Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and related organizations of the Kingdom of Thailand

Background

Thailand is undergoing the most rapid aging among ASEAN countries. The current number of the elderly is approx. 6.2mil, which is 8.9% of the total population and expected to be categorized as Aged Society by 2024 (UN DESA 2009) with more than 14% of the elder population in Thailand. Under such circumstances, Government of the Kingdom of Thailand (GOT) established "National Commission on the Elderly" composed of concerned authorities and Ministries, and formulated the national strategy on ageing. "The 2nd National Plan on the Elderly (2002 – 2021)," which was revised in 2009, states the importance of establishment and development of the long-term community-based care fully accessible and usable for the elderly by emphasizing the home care model inclusive of health care and social services simultaneously.

However, there is a gap between the basic concept and its realization. The Thai concerned ministries and local governments have not yet found effective and feasible methods to fill the gap, and development of appropriate care system needs to be shared nationwide to avoid the inequality of care services provision and the deterioration of elderly's quality of life.

Through the implementation of "the Project on the Development of a Community-based Integrated Health Care and Social Welfare Services Model (CTOP)" and other experience, GOT found that there were many ridden aged persons, who need long-term care.

These elderly persons are usually cared by their family members and volunteers in the community who are not able to take systematic approach. Thus, the care level is not so high as expected. This gap between necessary care and actual situation makes problems to realize the equality of the long-term care provision and the quality of lives of elderly persons.

This project is designed to develop the policy recommendations with solid evidence to fill the above mentioned gap. The policy recommendations on such issues as;

  • Economic and social implications of the lack of social support on long-term care as well as providing social supports on long-term care;
  • Necessary and feasible long-term care service systems;
  • Cost/benefit implications of the service systems;
  • Human resource development implications of the service systems;
  • Fiscal implications of service systems; and
  • Living environment (housing conditions) and other issues related to long-term care.

Overall Goal

Policy recommendations on the long-term care for the elderly are reflected in the Thai government policies.

Project Purpose

Policy recommendations on the long-term care for the elderly are accepted by the relevant ministries and organizations.

Outputs

  1. Policy recommendations on the long-term care for the elderly are developed, based on the evidence from the pilot projects and Thai and Japanese knowledge and experiences.
  2. "Model Services" are developed and implemented in an effective and sustainable manner at pilot project sites.
  3. Training programs of the care workers and coordinators are developed.

Project Activities

1: Policy Recommendations

1-0 Organize the Policy Discussion Group.
1-1 Review implementation status of related laws and plans in terms of the long-term care in Thailand.
1-2 Thai policy makers and academics visit Japan to observe and discuss about the long-term care in Japan.
1-3 Japanese policy makers and academics visit Thailand to discuss current situations on the long-term care.
1-4 Conduct seminars on the long-term care and related issues for Thai policy makers and academics, including financial arrangements, with participation of Japanese and Thai resource persons.
1-5 Based on the result of the above discussions, field visits, and seminars as well as the pilot projects for the development of "Model Services," Thai members of the Policy Discussion Group draft policy recommendations.
1-6 Conduct seminar(s) on the long-term care in Thailand and experiences of the Project for neighboring countries.

2: Pilot Projects for "Model Services"

2-1 Identify evidences and necessary information to be collected.<C>*
2-2 Select pilot project sites. <C with L>
2-3 Identify pilot project participants and set up the Working Committee at each site. <L with C>
2-4 Conduct baseline survey at each site. <C with L>
2-5 Study detailed situations of long-term care services in Thailand and Japan. <C>
2-6 Develop a draft of "Model Services" and a draft operation manual. <C>
2-7 Conduct workshops at community level on the draft model at each site. <C with L>
2-8 Design and prepare the training for care workers and coordinators (necessary resources, lecturers, curricula, training materials, etc.) <C with L>*This activity consists of Activity 3-1 and 3-3.
2-9 Employ care workers and coordinators at each site. <L>
2-10 Prepare for the Model Services Center at each site. <L with C>
2-11 Conduct trainings for care workers and coordinators of each project site. <C with L>
2-12 Provide "Model Services" to the elderly who need long-term care. <L with C>
2-13 Monitor the effects of the "Model Services" to collect necessary information for evidence development. <C with L>
2-14 Monitor the implementation of the "Model Services" to revise the operation manual. <C with L>
2-15 Finalize "Model Services," based on the experiences of all pilot projects. <C with L>
2-16 Analyze the effects of the "Model Services" based on the collected information as solid evidence. <C with L>
2-17 Conduct domestic seminar(s) on the "Model Services." <C>

3: Human Resource Development

3-1 Design and prepare training on care management and professional care services (necessary resources, lecturers, curricula, training materials, etc.)
3-2 Conduct trainings in Japan on care management and professional care services for staff of the ministries concerned, local authorities, care coordinators of the pilot project sites, etc.
3-3 Design and prepare the training for care workers (necessary resources, lecturers, curricula, training materials, etc.)
3-4 Conduct in-country training/workshops on care skills for care workers of the pilot project sites. <C>

"C" represents ministries and organizations at the central level and "L" represents organizations at the local level. <C with L>means that the ministries and organizations at the central level conduct the activity with the help of organizations at the local level.

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