2) Institutional elderly care
2.1 Social welfare development centre for older persons: Operated by the Department of Social Development and Welfare, such centres offer a long-term residential home for older persons who have no shelters or no caregiver. At present, there are 12 centres in all regions across the country.
2.2 Elderly homes: These elderly homes are under the supervision of the provincial administrative organizations. The homes provide, among others, health care and rehabilitation services for older persons who are underprivileged, poor, lack caregivers or are otherwise homeless. Currently, there are 13 elderly homes located in several provinces across the country.
2.3 Elder care centres: These centres are operated by private and public organizations who also play important roles in healthcare for older persons. The centres provide various care services such as community health care service, residential service and health and sanitation rehabilitation.
3. Please provide information on measures that are in place or planned to ensure informed consent of older persons to treatment, care and medical research.
The National Health Act, 2007 states that in providing health service, public health personnel shall provide adequate health information in connection with the service to the service receiver so as the latter can decide on the proper choice of service. In case the patient refuses to receive a service, no person shall provide such a service to said patient.
Furthermore, the Regulation of the Medical Council of Thailand on Medical Ethics and Profession states that medical research or experiments involving human subjects can be conducted only with the consent of the subject and must protect the subject from any harm arising from such research or experiment.