Policy Dimension of Expectation and Truth in the Welfare Service Management for the Elderly Persons

Abstract

According to the criteria of the United Nations [Principles for Older Persons], Thailand has entered an aging society since 2005 and continues to experience steady increase in the number of older persons. With regard to the literature review chapter, it was found that Thai government had implemented measures to prepare readiness for the aging society situations by adopting various forms of laws, national economic and social development plans, and policies, for instance. The government policies were developed continually into the rights and welfare of the elderly persons in terms of access to other state public services. In addition, the family and community institutions were the underlying mechanisms to play a role in providing care and support for them. Although the policy development has occurred continually in health services, the problems are meanwhile encountered with respect to elderly neglect, diseases among elderly adults, and financial hardship in paying for medical care wherein these issues are explicitly exposed on social media as well. Therefore, it can be said that the current implementation of government measures is not effective in solving the problems and responding to the needs of elderly persons appropriately.