Exporting mum to a care home overseas

One of the most shared articles on the BBC News website over the weekend looked at sending elderly relatives to care homes overseas.

The article tells the story of 91 year old Elisabeth who has dementia and lives in a care home in the Thai city of Chiang Mai.

She has been resident there for over four years.

Her daughter Sybille, who lives in Switzerland, visits twice a year and speaks to her mother on Skype daily.

So why the decision to export mum to a care home in Thailand?

Certainly the costs of care appear to be lower; $3,000 a month rather than $5,000 to $10,000 in Switzerland.

Importantly, the standards of care also appear to be much higher, with a strong culture of caring for the elderly and up to four caretakers for person.

For an individual suffering from dementia, it could be argued that cost and conditions would trump geography and access for visits as primary considerations when selecting a care home.

Despite these advantages, there are clearly moral issues to consider and families would need to think carefully before making such a big decision.

Sourcing overseas care homes is not something we have come across with our clients when planning for the costs of long-term care, but it might well become a more popular choice in the future.

With the cost of residential care in the UK continuing to rise, and demand expected to reach the stage in the near future where it outstrips supply, it would not be surprising to hear an overseas care home considered along with a range of other long-term care options.

The Informed Choice Care Fees Guide 2013-14

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