Toshiyuki Okui
Nogezaka Glocal

Currently, dementia is not yet a major issue in rural Thailand. Against this background, a seminar entitled “Dementia care rooted in local communities” was held in Bueng Yitho municipality, Pathumthani Province in Thailand on 23 November 2022.

Since a Universal Health Coverage system enabling everyone to receive universal medical care services began in Thailand in 2002, the average life expectancy has increased from 71 years to 77 years in 2020. This is a happy development, but it brings various challenges, such as an increase in the aging ratio and an increase in the number of people requiring nursing care.

The biggest factor behind dementia is age. In other words, the number of people in Thailand with dementia is expected to increase significantly from now on.

Furthermore, dementia is a condition that places a very mentally taxing condition not only on the person directly affected but also on the family. The current reality is that discrimination and prejudice are also heavy. Medical care and nursing care techniques are not the only things that matter: community initiatives are also important.

It was against this backdrop that this seminar was held.

The first Dementia Café in Thailand

The lecturers were local university faculty members and a specialist in community dementia care who flew in from Japan. In addition, a person in charge of public nursing care policy, the director of a nursing home for the elderly, and the lead care manager for a dementia day service joined online from Japan. Around 40 staff and volunteers working on care for the elderly from 2 local governments joined the seminar in person, while an additional 7 local governments were connected online as satellite venues.

Both lecturers and participants for this seminar included in-person and online members. The result was a dynamic seminar that would have been unimaginable before the COVID pandemic.

The catalyst for this participation by multiple Thai local governments came in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Before COVID, our group collaborated with the care of the elderly in Bueng Yitho municipality. Even during the COVID pandemic, we made use of online methods for communication and seminars, but spreading our work to other local governments remained a problem. The idea that emerged at that time was to form a network among Thai local governments to learn from one another. In 2020, a tripartite collaboration agreement was initially signed between the Bueng Yitho municipality, Tap Ma municipality, and Nogezaka Glocal, and the framework of the network was created. Based on this, the membership was expanded to nine local governments in August 2022.

The above seminar was held using this framework. The network is expanding to include not only local governments, but also universities and private-sector businesses inside and outside these local government areas.

Signing ceremony for the network of nine Thai local governments, Yugawara Town, and others (August 2022)

Momentum has arisen to learn from one another not only about the care of the elderly but also about a variety of issues going forward, including disability, youth, and intercultural cohesion.

We would very much appreciate the cooperation and guidance of all JANNET member organizations as we continue to develop our activities. Thank you.