More elderly people are living alone and communities and social enterprises can play bigger roles in caring for them, a seminar was told.
A study has confirmed the trend where elderly people are living apart from their families, says Suthida Chuanwan, a researcher at the Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University.
In 20 years, 11% of the elderly will be living on their own with no one to care for them. Of them, one-fourth are at risk of suffering mental insecurity, anxiety or depression. The condition may be highlighted by a fear of dying a lonely death, Ms Suthida told a recent seminar on access to social services for the elderly.
There is also a growing tendency for more women to live alone, she said.
She defines an "elderly family" as people living full-time under the same roof who are all 60 years old or above. The term also extends to an elderly couple living on their own in a house.
She said an environment is needed where the elderly can be more independent and active so they can be self-reliant in obtaining regular medical and health care.
As most elderly prefer to live in their own homes, social enterprises or communities can send volunteers to help the elderly run errands or take them to banks or shopping, she said.
Ms Suthida said many elderly in Bangkok are lonely without friends or relatives to visit them. Their peers in the provinces, on the other hand, tend to be more socially engaged as they frequently attend activities outside the home, such as "golden-year" schools and exercises where they meet friends their own age.
Casual get-togethers create circles of friends where the elderly can come to the aid of one another in times of need.
Those living alone mostly need emotional comfort and look forward to visits by neighbours or people in the community, she added.
The problem in Bangkok is the shortage of public space for the elderly to meet for leisure and form close-knit groups. Also, community leaders play a big part in organising activities fit for the elderly.
"Groups for the elderly are conducive to healthy emotional and mental well-being. These include membership of various clubs and associations. These activities can fill a void socially and let them cherish their self-worth," Ms Suthida said.
The study also pointed to a growing number of elderly living permanently with non-family members who are often their friends, or with pets.
Jongjit Ritthirong, another researcher at the Institute for Population and Social Research, said few people were paying attention to the challenges which an ageing society brings. Many go into retirement unprepared both financially and in terms of their state of health. They do not have enough money saved when they hit 60.
Also, they did not take care of their health when they were younger, which raises the risk that they will suffer ailments or non-communicable diseases early in their retirement. "A healthy life is a secure life. The earlier one starts being healthy, the more secure their life will be," she said.
Strong health can also help the elderly save on medical bills and allow them to keep up their income after retirement, which leads to greater independence, Ms Jonjit said.
In 2016, a health survey showed 25% of respondents said they did not exercise at all while one-fifth admitted they failed to look after their health when they were younger. The irony was they did not have healthy eating habits or lifestyles but still wanted to be healthy, the researcher said.
