Health care for elderly people in developing countries: a case study of Thailand

The elderly populations of many developing countries are increasing rapidly. These demographic changes are a direct result of the success of socio-economic development that has led to declines in mortality rates at all ages and reductions in fertility. However, an aged population might be expected to suffer with the problems of dependency and disability leading to an increased burden of disease. Adequate disability and life expectancy data are essential for planning health and social policy but are currently insufficient. Making best use of the limited resources available for health care will require an emphasis on training of professional staff and carers, but with integration of health care for elderly people with established health services, particularly the existing primary health care systems. Strategies aimed at developing separate services for elderly people should be avoided because of the high likelihood of producing services of low quality with an inappropriate hospital emphasis.