Thailand's need for home-based care is expected to soar to keep pace with its rapidly ageing population and according to a projection by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Thailand will need up to 250,000 additional paid care workers for long term care for its ageing population.
The new 72-page report Care at home: Projecting Thailand’s need for national and migrant labour for home-based care for older persons by the ILO reveals that as family structures change and traditional unpaid family caregiving declines, the demand for paid home-based care is set to rise by at minimum 70% in the next 12 years.
Thailand’s policy to promote ageing in place means most older persons will continue to live in their homes rather than in institutions. Yet, many families cannot afford to pay for private care. The study warns that without public investment, large care gaps will persist, especially among low-income households.
Paid care in Thailand is currently provided by nurses, community volunteers and domestic workers, many of whom are migrants. The report notes that migrant workers already make up a growing share of home-based care workers, and their role is expected to expand as the Thai workforce ages and fewer young people enter care occupations.
To meet the growing demand, the ILO calls for greater investment in the care economy that ensures access to affordable home-based and community care services and promotes decent working conditions for care workers.
The report also encourages the promotion of regular and fair migration pathways for care workers and the recognition and upgrading of care-related skills, both for national and migrant workers.
Strengthening health literacy, expanding community care systems and investing in technologies such as telehealth and assistive devices could also significantly reduce Thailand’s projected care gap, potentially lowering the need for additional care workers to fewer than 100,000.
ILO Country director for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People Democratic Republic Xiaoyan Qian said, “This study makes clear that Thailand’s ageing-at-home approach can only succeed if care work is recognised, protected and valued as skilled work. By investing in decent work for care workers, both national and migrant workers, Thailand can build a sustainable, equitable care system that benefits families, communities and the national economy."