The future seems brighter for nursing homes in the Philippines, owing to the country’s growing populace who are in their twilight years. But the family-oriented culture of Filipinos somewhat hinders them from reaching their full potential, according to a German geriatric-care expert. Despite this, Retirement and Healthcare Coalition Executive Director Marc Daubenbuechel remains optimistic.
It was estimated that there were 7 million senior citizens in the Philippines. In this population, about 90% are not given sufficient care. In 2020, these numbers were seen to double from 8 percent to 16 percent.
In an interview with Business Mirror, Daubenbuechel said that nursing homes are promising ventures that can help with elderly care while also generating revenues. But the country’s family-oriented culture still poses a significant obstacle.
So where does elderly care in the Philippines move from here?
Elderly Care in the Philippines
As the population of senior citizens continue to grow, discussions on how to properly care for them arise. While the norm in elderly care here is that they continue to stay with their families, many senior citizens are not the most privileged. Some are even unfortunate enough to not have a home.
Thankfully, more and more seniors consider going to retirement homes in the Philippines. Such expectation opens a lot of opportunities for players in the geriatric care sector, which, according to Daubenbuechel, is now being served by 20 to 25 private nursing homes, with a combined capacity of between 300 beds and 500 beds, as well as a lot of Church-led home-care institutions run by nuns and government-owned facilities under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, like the Golden Acres, to name a few.
“Five years from now, I think you are looking at somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 beds,” he said of the industry estimates. “But it also depends on regulations in place and the hospitals if they are willing to cooperate. Once the hospitals realize that there is good money in it, they will definitely go into it.”
While more and more people are now turning to nursing homes to look after their elderly relatives, however, the close family-ties tradition of Filipinos has prevented some from doing so.
This is because of the wrong perception that it’s defying the norm of a typical household setup in the country, wherein the senior-aged parents, grandparents and even close relatives usually live with their children, either single or married, primarily for financial support and guardianship.
“Basically, people [are] always saying [that] nursing homes are not in the character of Filipinos. I agree. But do you consider also living in a small and shoebox-type condominium in the character of Filipinos? It is not. How do you live with your wife [or] husband and two kids in a one-bedroom [condo], and then look after your parents. It doesn’t work anymore,” said Daubenbuechel, who is also the managing director of RainTree Care Services and Senior Residences.
He said the prevalence of dementia among the aging population is likewise alarming. A geriatric-care facility can help ease the family from the burden of handling it on their own.
Institutions that specialize in geriatric care are also increasing. For instance, there is a home for the aged in Laguna and facilities in Metro Manila that aim to take care of the elderly. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough facilities nationwide to ensure the proper care of those in their twilight years.
Caring for the Homeless Elderly in the Philippines
Tucked behind one of largest shopping malls in the country is a humble haven, Golden Reception and Action Center for the Elderly and Other Special Cases (GRACES), which serves as a temporary home for the abandoned, neglected, lost and unattached. Here, they find a home among people who have suffered a similar fate.
But not every senior citizen who finds himself or herself without a home is able to seek refuge in institutions similar to GRACES. There are only a handful of homes for the elderly all over the country, and only four of them are maintained by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). However, the increasing number of abandoned elderly has resulted in the overpopulation of some facilities.
“In the Philippines there really are only a few elderly institutions—and there are only a few slots from NGOs [non-governmental organizations] and private institutions, round 30 to 40 slots. Unlike in government [elderly institutions], like GRACES or Golden Acres, which can cater to over 100 people,” said Daisy Caber, a social worker from GRACES.
The pressing need brought by the rising cases of abandonment and neglect as well as nursing homes costs in the Philippines is identified as one of the reasons for filing House Bill 4946, entitled Homes for Abandoned Seniors Act of 2014, by Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela City.
The bill recognizes the various reasons that lead to the neglect of the elderly, such as the economic reality of spending for the care of an elderly person, family problems, and the incapability to care for the elderly.
The bill, inspired by Valenzuela’s own Bahay Kalinga, intends to establish a nursing home for the elderly in every city and municipality. The nursing home will be operated by the DSWD, in coordination with the local government unit (LGU) concerned.
Bahay Kalinga is home to 25 homeless or abandoned senior citizens. It also provides for the clients’ health care, while the local government assists in their search for their relatives.
The nursing homes, as identified in the bill, will be mandated to provide the following needs to the elderly: comfortable living quarters; adequate food and clothing; medical consultation or treatment; health care; occupational opportunities; recreational and social interaction; counseling; case conference; family dialogue; outreach to existing family for reintegration; literacy education; productivity development; and religious; cultural and vocational activities.
Do we really need elderly homes in the Philippines?
Dementia is a broad category of brain diseases that cause a long-term, and often gradual decrease in the ability to think and remember that is great enough to affect a person’s daily functioning. Currently, it afflicts 170,000 elderly nationwide. The number is projected to increase to between 230,000 and 250,000 in the next five years, as per data from the Dementia Society of the Philippines.
“Living with someone who has dementia is very, very exhausting for the entire family. It can become dangerous for the children and for the elderly themselves. So it needs to be professionally managed,” Daubenbuechel said.
Because the services plus the facilities offered by nursing homes “are not cheap,” the executive also cited this as a factor that drives the local market away from these institutions. “But why is it okay to send your [aging] mom and dad to expensive tertiary hospitals and stay there for at least one year, where you pay P180,000 or P120,000 a month? This is socially acceptable, but not when they stay in a nursing home that particularly looks after the needs of the elderly,” he said.
For it to become a huge industry, Daubenbuechel called for geriatric-care providers to correct the wrong notions about nursing homes.
“What’s happening in developed countries,” he said, “is that senior citizens are usually brought to a hospital for acute care for a maximum of two weeks, and then they are transferred into a nursing home for long-term care.”
Dementia is just one of the many conditions that our elders face. There are also heart conditions, dietary restrictions, and even emotional distress that non-professionals may find challenging to handle. With the idea that nursing homes in the Philippines are filled with personnel and equipment that can appropriately treat and respond to such conditions, sending our older loved ones to such institutions shouldn’t seem like such a drawback.
Growing old with care
Finding the proper care is essential, especially for the elderly. As they are in their later years, ensuring that they live in comfort and health is paramount. Of course, staying with their families can always bring them joy and care–but there are times when the proper responses may not be given.
Nursing homes for the elderly in the Philippines provide a safe and secure environment for the elderly. From properly trained nurses to equipment meant for their ease, these homes ensure that loved ones in their twilight years get the proper comfort they deserve.
1 comment
Ano po ang requirement? Ang father ko kasi ay napalaki ng epekto sa paglala ng sakit ng nanay at kapatid ko. Please give me info. Thank you