The Thai population's accelerating pace of ageing is a trend with profound impacts, particularly at the personal level on those individuals tasked with caring for loved ones during the final phase of their lives.
For many caregivers, the practical challenges and emotional strain of tending to their immediate family members during the end-of-life journey are often exacerbated by concerns about their employment and the constant threat of financial hardship.
This is why the Social Security Office (SSO) should seriously consider a petition from a network of palliative care supporters urging it to grant dedicated paid leave of absence for employees to care for their loved ones at the end of their lives.
The petition, signed by more than 3,000 people, argues that compassionate care or bereavement leave extending to the end-of-life period would offer much-needed support for employees, many of whom have suffered immensely from the profound need to be present for their loved ones and the very real demands of their careers.
Paid compassionate care leave would not only provide families with time to manage care and offer comfort to their loved ones during the critical final phase of their lives, but also alleviate the stress and guilt of the caregivers themselves.
At a policy level, allowing for paid bereavement leave would represent a vital recognition by public authorities of society's changing reality and their abilities to devise appropriate responses to lessen the burden being shouldered by a growing segment of the workforce.
The palliative network, comprising the palliative care personnel of Ramathibodi Hospital, Thai Palliative Care Society (THAPS), and the Peaceful Death community group, among others, has argued that the presence of loved ones during the end-of-life period can lead to a peaceful and dignified death.
At the same time, the ability to provide direct care and offer comfort -- indeed just to be there during the most vulnerable time of a person's life -- provides a necessary closure, which allows caregivers to better recover from the loss and move on.
Without dedicated family care leave, employees are currently forced to use their limited business or vacation leave, which often proves insufficient. There are also cases in which employees feel they cannot afford to care for their family members or bid them a final goodbye, out of concern that it may conflict with their careers.
Globally, many countries, including those in Europe and Canada, as well as numerous progressive businesses, have implemented paid compassionate care leave with varying conditions. Studies on the ageing population and policy consistently suggest that among many necessary responses, one policy that has been shown to make a difference is paid leave to meet the health needs of ageing family members.
While certain elements in the proposal may remain debatable -- for example, how to ascertain that illnesses are terminal or how to define "close ties" beyond immediate family for eligibility -- these can be further discussed. The petition's proposed paid leave of 30 to 60 days per year may also require negotiation.
Despite these aspects, the core proposal for family care leave deserves the SSO's careful consideration. For once, the SSO has a chance to show the public that it recognises the toll the ageing population is taking on individual members of society and that it is ready to fulfil its duties in providing support to make their lives easier, more secure, and more humane.