INTRODUCTION
The population of older people is now becoming the
dominant population segment in the world. The
proportion of people aged 60 years and over is
growing faster than any other age group. The
United Nations (UN) [1] stated that the growth rate
of those 60 or older would reach 2.8 percent
annually in 2025 to 2030. In the more developed
regions, almost one-fifth of the population was aged
60 or older in the year 2000; by 2050, this
proportion is expected to reach one-third. In the less
developed regions, only 8 percent of the population
is currently over the age of 60; however, by 2050,
older persons will make up nearly 20 percent of the
population [1].
In the case of Thailand, the relatively higher rate of
an increase in the older people population is a
consequence of a decline in fertility and
improvement in longevity. The total fertility rate