Aging and Thailand

[norm]

I'm curious of your thoughts on growing old in LOS.
Do you plan to be here to the end or do you desire to go back to your homeland or somewhere else when it is near the time to kick the bucket?

Are you more comfortable with the care here or would you prefer to be in some other country for medical care, if yes is that because of the cost or the quality of the care.

Personally I would rather be in LOS as I can't imagine being in a nursing home anywhere. Here my wife can take care of me with the help of our housekeeper and if need be have additional help come in for that purpose. But in reality if I get to the point I cannot take care of myself I prefer not to be around.

But I plan to die in my sleep with no long or short term illness.

The Cat in the Hat On Aging
drseuss1.gif (17181 bytes)

I Cannot See
I Cannot Pee
I Cannot Chew
I Cannot Screw
Oh, My God, What Can I Do?
My Memory Shrinks
My Hearing Stinks
No Sense of Smell
I Look Like Hell
My Mood is Bad -- Can't You Tell?
My Body is Drooping
Have Trouble Pooping
The Golden Years Have Come at Last
The Golden Years can Kiss My Ass!

[PeteC]

I now plan to be here until the end, but it's a tough question for those in the group let's say younger than about 55.

I think we can add to this thread the question concerning what to do with one's remains?

It's a tough question as many are raised in the belief in burial, many have family plots back home....but many of us have all or most existing family here.

There are a few cemeteries in Bangkok filled with farangs going back over 100 years, so burial is possible here but some places may be filled to capacity, or require a huge fee. There is also one in Pattaya where the Catholic church and orphanage is. Perhaps there are more scattered around the country at Christian facilities. There are many Chinese cemetaries, but I wouldn't want to be in one of them.

I am undecided between burial and cremation and if cremation, where do my ashes go, in the sea, on the mantle, in the garden? Pete

[norm]

Burial is a easy decision for me, when I die I will be cremated and my wife will keep my ashes. When she dies she has in her will that she be cremated and her ashes along with mine dumped in the pacific ocean.

When my mother, brother, sister and her yappy little dog died they were all cremated and we put there ashes in the Pacific off the east coast of Australia.

So as I see it we will get to travel together for eternity and eventually will catch up to my relatives already doing the same.

Now compare that to spending eternity in a dark damp hole for eternity with the worms crawling in and the worms crawling out.

Easy decision for me.

[Spitfire]

In the UK I read and hear of figures for nursing homes of 600-700 pounds (30-35k baht) a week is not uncommon these days. Not sure how much choice many might have regarding this but you would have more control and freedom somewhere like Thailand.

[Nereus]

I now plan to be here until the end, but it's a tough question for those in the group let's say younger than about 55.

I think we can add to this thread the question concerning what to do with one's remains?

It's a tough question as many are raised in the belief in burial, many have family plots back home....but many of us have all or most existing family here.

I am undecided between burial and cremation and if cremation, where do my ashes go, in the sea, on the mantle, in the garden? Pete

I have exactly the same concern, Pete. My late Mother used to say, "if you cremate me I will come back and haunt you the rest of your life"!

I guess it`s as much a matter of the practicality in Thailand, as it is religion, or beliefs. After all, our body is of no further use to us, regardless of our beliefs.

[norm]

22 Jun 2009 ... Nursing Home Costs--Average in U.S.=$77000. State-By-State Long Term Health Care Costs by the AARP.

That's 2.6 million baht per year in the USA. Or about 7,000 baht a day. I think you could pay for 24/7 personal care plus catered meals in LOS for that.l And a few beers every day.

[hhfarang]

I now plan to be here until the end, but it's a tough question for those in the group let's say younger than about 55.

I moved here at 55 with the intent of living here until the end, but I've changed my mind about that now and would like to try elsewhere. Due to my financial mishaps and mistakes over the first couple of years here and due to the fact that my wife wants to remain here (in Thailand), I will probably still be in Thailand to the end, which I think (and sometimes pray ) will come sooner here than if I had stayed in the west.

The state of quality and emergency health care in Hua Hin is becoming more and more of a concern to me as I age and have more problems. I may end up moving to the big city just to be near good health care choices at some point in the future.

[norm]

I now plan to be here until the end, but it's a tough question for those in the group let's say younger than about 55.

I moved here at 55 with the intent of living here until the end, but I've changed my mind about that now and would like to try elsewhere. Due to my financial mishaps and mistakes over the first couple of years here and due to the fact that my wife wants to remain here (in Thailand), I will probably still be in Thailand to the end, which I think (and sometimes pray ) will come sooner here than if I had stayed in the west.

The state of quality and emergency health care in Hua Hin is becoming more and more of a concern to me as I age and have more problems. I may end up moving to the big city just to be near good health care choices at some point in the future.

Hopefully if you move you will continue to post on HHAD

[hhfarang]

Hopefully if you move you will continue to post on HHAD

Thanks Norm,

I'll be here at least until the home sales market picks up (if it ever does) and I will continue to post for sure until they ban me for one of my drunken tirades (that's why I try to only post in the mornings after I've had a cup of coffee )!

[Randy Cornhole]

I happened across the elixer of life the other day, so will not be getting old for a few centuries at least.

Bugger to make the pension stretch though...

[hhfarang]

I happened across the elixer of life the other day, so will not be getting old for a few centuries at least.

Get bitten by a vampire, Randy?

[elem]

Who knows...? The end might be just around the corner

[Randy Cornhole]

Get bitten by a vampire, Randy?

She was rather toothy...

[DaveT]

While a morbid subject it's also a very important decision and the biggest reason that ultimately I will be 50/50 about permanently living in Thailand.

I'm not in a position to do that yet anyway, but the plan is in around 4 years when my businesses in UK will (hopefully!!) be running well and profitable, giving me good income as a silent owner, plus my pensions (yeah, right) I'll take it easier and split my time between UK and Thailand. I've always fancied being in UK from May to September and Thailand October to April.

I'm 54 now (55 in a month) so will be in my 60th year or thereabouts.

Healthcare is a huge issue in Thialand and my major concern. I've not read good things about hospitals in Hua Hin. While I'm fit and healthy right now, there will obviously come a time when I'm not. I haven't been to the doctors here in UK for 37 years (what a waste of money for the private health insurance I have) but inevitably something will strike me down in the future.

Although the actual healthcare is dodgy here, the nursing and support, particularly at home, can much more easily be paid for in Thailand. I know 100% for sure I will want to peg it at home, whatever condition I have. I watched my father die of lung cancer 15 years ago and he died at home. It made the world of difference to him. That's what I want too.

As to my remains, I suppose it doesn't really matter. What I would want is that my next of kin (hopefully this will be my now Thai gf who will ultimately become my wife and my daugher and son) decide what they'd like to do. I don't really mind, so I'd rather they be comfortable and if they want have something or somewhere they could go to be with "me" that would make me happy. Whether that be in Thailand or England, up to them.

Historically I'd said I want my ashes sprinkled over Portman Road, but we're playing such crap at the moment (Ipswich for you non soccer fans) I'm off that idea.

Maybe I should be sprinkled all along Bintabaht . . . .

[TAMAN]

The plan is to move permanently once retired and not to return except as ash.