The Reality of Chiang Mai Long-Term Care: Welcome to Vivobene Resort 

Excellent topic ! Can't believe you chose this excellent topic. I was on the verge of flying my mother to Cambodia for the wonderful discount lifestyle. However, at 88 years old, I had to put her into long-term care In the US. I myself will refuse to get old in the US because long-term care is absurdly expensive and a horrible experience. My mother and I had discussed moving her to Cambodia once she started to deteriorate, but she was in such great shape until the sudden final end that we didn't have time to do it. Amazingly she only lived 6 days into long term US care... She beat the system and did NOT have to waste a fortune.

I appreciate this so much at 61 it’s good to know I can afford an assisted living outside the USA

Thank you very much for this video. As a 67 year old senior that is single, I've already known that I will end my days in a place like this either in Thailand or the Philipines. I have aded this to my bookmarks under overseas medical. Thanks

I am Thai and recently retired from nursing career in US. Love to visit this place. I know how nursing care is in Thailand because I graduated from nursing college there, definitely different from nursing care in US. I would love to be taken care by Thai nurses if I can afford. Great information. Thank you.

Excellent....and timely video. I'm watching from a cardiac ICU in NC after bypass surgery. Already have a condo in Chiang Mai, but haven't made the full time move until I looked at long term options. This video was a great jump ahead.

Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful place to us.

First time I've seen a vlog on this topic. Kudos to you, Sir.

I'm 74, moving to Thailand month after next in the Fall, and available facilities such as this LTC is a large part of the reason. I've had email communication with another facility in Hua Hin, and it's a similar theme to what you present in this video: an amazing facility with awesome care options all at affordable prices. The Expats retiring to Thailand in growing numbers will have wonderful options from which to choose, when they age to the point of needing nursing and assisted care. Thank you for presenting this important video! Liked and subscribed.

Thanks for this great info. I’m 60 and thinking about my retirement all the time now. My 94 year old mother with advanced dementia is paying 9400 usd for a very basic elderly care, I can’t stand the place. I love Thailand but would be concerned about the burning season . Outside of this I would love to end my days in a place like this. Thanks again. Lisa

Thanks Fred and thank you Brad. I’ve seen a video in Australia about Chiang Mai Aged care, run by an Aussie guy who relocated his Wife (she needed Dementia Care) and he ended up working in the Facilty. It certainly is a Paradise option. And I speak from experience doing Music Therapy in Care Facilities, my Mother needed Care in her final years passed at age 97+,,,Australian Care is a lottery and can be a nightmare. After falling in love with Thailand this is in my long term plans. Thanks again Fred.

Very happy you did this video. I see from the comments many others agree. I think you could make this a niche vlog and do extensive reporting on this entire subject including shared Independent Living and similar situations. Not only that to go beyond and discuss the inevitable, which is that sooner or later, we're all going to pass away and how those pre-arrangements could be done in advance. I'm impressed with the Buddhist respect of the deceased and their open air cremation ceremony. If I were there this is what I would be doing. It is sorely needed

A friends mother is a resident there and she could not be happier about her choice. I like their Al La Carte menu regarding choice of your care. Doi Saket is a beautiful part of the Chiang Mai area.

Thank you for taking the time to show this excellent video. Keep up the good work, and keep growing your channel. May the good news be with you. I really enjoyed watching this video. pretty impressive on the service provided and I also like the fact that they have back up generators.

Wow that was a lot of good info. In Orlando Florida it costs about 5-10 thousand dollars a month. So most people live with relatives. Thanks for the video.

Great job brother! This retirement community has a lot of potential and I will highly consider it.👍🏿

Excellent video. Thank you Fred. planning on retiring soon. looks like Thailand is a great place to retire, especially Ching-Mai

Sign Me up!!! The Future is looking good!!! Things are Looking up!!! 🤩

Wow!!!!! Just, wow!

Another outstanding and informative video Fred! Thank you very much!!

Well done. Most likely the best place in Chiang Mai but a bit outside of town. At any rate, there are other and somewhat cheaper places around, however, some of them lack a certain sophistication and are still run old school in case of real Alzheimer patient needs. My advice: Come over first, check for yourself and ask the right questions in the selection process. Your loved one(s) deserve best treatment in a proffesionally run place.❤

Thank you for this amazing informative video. I've lived in Chiangmai for 2.5 years before needing to return to Singapore 3 months ago for my aging parents. I love Chiangmai, with respect for the people on the land, my family had received back so much smiles, great local neighbours, honesty, down to earth, sincere heart to heart experiences from people of beautiful Chiangmai. My husband and myself are reaching age 50 soon and will like to return to Chiangmai to retire. If my parents will not mind, we may consider long term care facilities in CM too for them. They deserve the best life, we too deserve a good retirement life.

Thanks for the video on that type of place. You kind of went a little quickly on all the different price choices and services so it was a little hard to figure out. But, ballpark for sure better than here by a long way.

What a great topic to cover! Good content!

The pricing break down is SO GREAT! My bro has parkinson and is 65 so he will need all of these in just f2-3 years. THANK YOU!

Love this video and the topic! We would love to see more!

Great tour. Living aged years in Chiang Mai would be awesome. I think moving abroad when you are older is very stimulating for many people. Some of these places are springing up (I saw one in Malaysia) but do not have proper nursing facilities but this place has proper care and the prices are definitely reasonable compared to the West . Thanks again Fred

I am finding your channel for the first time, this video is right on time. I am looking into relocating to Mexico and have been looking at other possible countries. My mom has dementia and here in the state of Maryland a lot of places are asking for $7,500/mo. Most people including myself can't afford that. In fact I am a GNA and had to stop working to be my mom's full-time caregiver. It's wonderful to see other places that are more affordable, and to see just how much better the care is at a fraction of the cost. Thank you for sharing this information. If you don't mind me asking just what are you doing for income while living over seas? Thank again.

Thank you for a wonderful video.

So, reality strikes! How does the elderly person renew his 90 day report to Immigration? How does the annual visa renewal get done? Who takes him/her to the hospital or back in case of an emergency? How does the he/she access funds? Who manages his/her funds and gets bills paid if stuck in the hospital? I don't see any ATMs there. These are vitally important questions that you haven't addressed. ??? and can he/she park a car?

Another cheaper option would be to live in a condo building that was user friendly to the older person with a good 24hr juristic and maybe pay for some sort of living assistance. Is it possible to do a video on this if this option is available in Chiang Mai? for OAPs that have a small budget.

Thank you Fred! I am considering Thailand for myself as I am single and have no kids. I will be on my own. My only concern, as a foreigner, is if something like Covid happens again. I would have been interested to hear what they did during the lockdowns. I would hate to get settled there in old age and then be kicked out of the country with nowhere to go.

Been to the bakery many times - Vivo is obviously a very well run facility.

Quite a few options in Chiang Mai, from accommodation only to differing levels of care including end of life / hospice care. One being the McKean Senior Center which has an interesting history as it initially started out as a leper colony and run by missionaries, it situated on an island in south Chiang Mai. Look around as also facilities exist outside of Chiang Mai as well.

Nice place. It was odd that we didn't see any residents.

Great information Fred! I'm in Udon Thani and planning on moving to chang mai in October. I'll be 77 in November and this looks great!!

Great video! Do they have full time Dr’s and ACLS trained nurses on staff 24/7 for emergencies, as well as basic wellness care, with appropriate ALS equipment? How far is this place from a top notch hospital if advanced care is needed, and is there an ALS ambulance available to transport residents to the hospital? I’m a retired Paramedic and my wife is a trauma/ICU nurse. We tell people that you have to consider these things, in addition to the facility itself, no matter if it’s in the U.S. or another country. You can live in a beautiful place anywhere, but if well equipped, quick response pre-hospital services are not available, you’re screwed if/when a medical event happens and you need urgent care. We’ve considered the Philippines because she was born there, but the best medical care is only in the large, crowded cities like Manila and Cebu. Many of the hospitals in mid to small size areas don’t have doctors on staff 24/7, and especially not specialists. And pre-hospital transport is a bare bones ambulance for hire, taxi, jeepney, or however else you can get to the hospital.

Yes excellent topic, especially if you are well bodied and lucid when you enter, but it’s another thing to move someone who has no history or knowledge of Thai culture and place them in this environment unless you are warehousing them until their passing. Good job on the video.

Fred, thank you for the GREAT information and well-made video! You know there's NOTHING like this in the U.S. with this kind of price and attention to service!

This was a fascinating tour thank you for asking great questions.

I am empress how clean this place is . Not so in America I have visited many places here very depressing and expensive. I love the open concept. People are not altogether in one large place. The gentleman that manages is truly a gift very caring god bless you sir.

Are the Rooms air conditioned ? Like Robin Williams said in Good Morning Vietnam.. forecast is HOT, DAMN HOT !! Cost of health care since Medicare won't pay for a thing over there... ?!

Great info…I’m 59 so hopefully won’t need this for a long while, but great to know there are options.

Excellent video! You are so right about not being able to get a decent hotel room for their deluxe price. This topic is becoming more important the older we get. Thanks for providing such valuable information.

What do home care aides cost in Chiang Mai? This place is lovely but I wouldn’t want to move out of my home if home care agencies are available. Thanks!

Thank you!

Look nice! It’s sounds like for high-ends. When you added it all up it’s kinda expensive. No package deal, paying separately it’s no ends and ends up paying more and it’s complicated and hard decisions making.

Excellent Topic. This is probably one of the most helpful videos for those aging in retirement in Thailand or have a spouse or partner that needs care. Thank you so much for sharing. How did you locate a Long term care facility in Thailand. Is there a quick way to locate these types of facilities throughout thailand?

This was a great video. Looking to retire in Thailand myself. Very informative, & thoughtful. Maybe do another video on the cost or interview someone who can discuss that with you. I did subscribe, thanks.

Thanks for giving us a tour of the beautiful facility. Also, breaking down the different price points.

Thank you so much for that information. You would never find a place in U.S. that can compare facility wise or amenities for that price. Great topic. I will definitely check into it further.

❤thank you for your presentation ❤😊

Just saw another video clip by "60 minutes Australia" about this care resort. It is very touching 😢

You’re amazing at what you do Fred! We will be in Thailand in September!

This was a great video and at 58 my husband and I are both interested in this. But, when I go to the website these are the prices I’m seeing. Connected Room - 49,500 BHT/month/person = $2906 USD Full Meal Plan - 29,000 BHT/month/person = $844 USD Permanent Care Package - 99,000 BHT/month/person + 10% service charge = $6335.91 This adds up to $10,086/month/couple or $5043/month/person. This seems pricey to me. Am I missing something? I appreciate your videos!

Thanks Fred. Great video! This was an excellent tour.

Very nice video how do they deal with the PM 2.5 situation especially when elderly people are sensitive with their lungs?

Thank you for providing this video. My main concern is the smoking season of Chiang Mai. Will you do any other Long tern care facilities in other cities ? Pettya, Hua Hin, Krebi , etc would be appreciated.

Fred, very excellent tutorial on long term care costs in Thailand at the Vivo Bene center. Your video is so professionally done and informative. Thank you.

Fred... Nice channel! I lived in CM for 9 years and the smoke is so bad from February to April that it is untenable for normal life, especially for seniors. Have you done a video of long term resorts in other areas like Huahin? That area does not have the smoke and is quite pleasant. Subscribed....

Great video, thank you 🙏. Subbed. Like someone prior, I also feel that info on the visa situation, funds' management etc would be absolutely essential for anyone considering this option 🙏.

Sawadeeka Thank you so much for sharing this… I’m 53 and seriously considering 2nd home options. I have a aging mother to care for and your video helps me peek around the corner and a little further down the road… not only for myself but my family as well. K̄hxbkhuṇka

Good information and thank you

Absolutely fantastic, I have been in LTC /Rehab for over 25years and we have nothing that compares… thank you so much for sharing this, is it impossible to practice my Nursing in Thailand??? If I was to retire there??? Thank you for sharing….

Great info. Thanks for sharing.

Fantastic !

Very important video thank you very much

If the choice is Europe or Asia for a nursing home, its clear what most of us would choose, wonderful

Excellent topic that more people need to know about. I wonder what happens if a resident gets a serious illness or requires surgery or treatment that can't be handled on site. I know the cost of medical care in Thailand is mych lower than the USA, but I imagine treating something like cancer would be quite costly. Ive also heard medical insurance in Thailand doesn't cover preexisting conditions and is expensive for the elderly.

Really good value great video

Excellent video Fred! This information will be very useful to many people. The facility looks top notch! For those that live in the U.S., there are similar facilities at similar prices in Mexico if someone needs something closer to home. Thanks again Fred, for a very informative and helpful video. 🙏

My parents pay $5,600 per month Canadian so that’s about $4,000 US. That covers accommodations in a two bedroom apartment, all their meals and activities, but they don’t need nursing care. If you need assistance, that really inflates your costs. There is a nurse available 24 hours in case needed. It is a VERY nice place. They just moved in a month ago and are loving it.

For westerners, how is medical care covered. For example stroke, heart attack, chronic illness, dementia, etc. From my understanding, after a certain age, local health insurance in Thailand can be expensive or impossible to acquire.

Fred, thank you for sharing this video. Your video on “assisted living” in Thailand was the most informative.

I could do it with no problem. Thanks Fred.

Thanks for the tour. This place looks great. When I was looking for my dad in 2018, it was about 5k/mo room and board, minimal care and then if you needed more, they added on until it reached about 10-15k/mo. Also, in the US, they can take your house and assets to pay for end of life care. They will do a 5 year look-back over your finances to make sure you didn’t just switch ownership on your home to your kids. Also, for my mom in 2021, I found her a place in a care home situated in a 5 br house. She would share a room, get 24/hr care, room and board. It cost about 4500/mo. Sadly, she passed just as I was signing the paperwork. She was a good RN and never wanted to be in a care home. She got her wish but I had hoped that she would recover. She was my heart and I miss her a lot.

Interesting enjoyed it.💕 Ty for sharing subscribed

Excellent video, very informative as to the services they offer. It was done from the point of view of a medical professional which is what I found interesting. The only question I have is there a Doctor "on call" there and how far is the facility from a high end private hospital? And do they have EMS nearby to bring people to a hospital.

Excellent report. I will visit this site in Oct. Best review yet. Thank you

This is really interesting. I've read about a hundred books on early retirement and geo arbitrage is often covered but I have never heard of this. This could change the way people think about long-term care in the future. This was just never on my radar.

A great video on a subject for which many foreigners fail to plan.

Excellent video ❤

I’m a MSW social worker who worked in hospice. Please ask about medications allowed and. It allowed and pain medications snd how they handle death and funerals. Extra costs please

Yes cheaper than in the West but still about USD 3000 per month. Biggest issue to, once you get to 70-80-90 years and cannot think for yourself, you need someone who can check-in with you weekly or daily and insure payment. If you run out of funds you will be evicted I assume. GOOD IDEA - but not a no-brainer.

I have been to Thailand, this looks like a covered care facility from a real resort. The climate is super HOT there. Is the facility fully air conditioning all year around? Thank you so much for sharing.

I am curious can you paint and redecorate? Can you keep a car on the property?

thanks mate

Excellent information but what about immigration and visas. Those must be annual costs on top of Vivobene?

Looks so peaceful but would have appreciated seeing actually residents around. I presume it was shot this way for privacy concerns but to see all the empty rooms was kind of cold and makes me wonder if they are ever being used. I have children and grandchildren holding me hostage here 😂 otherwise I would love to be living carefree like this. My mother ended up in long term care in the USA which towards the end was about $6000 a month with mediocre care. Thankfully her money didn’t run out before she did, but it was close. I’ll be watching how these kids treat me going forward and may end up in Thailand before it’s all over. I love Thai food as much as I love Italian. Might need to start studying the language, that always helps. 💜

Very informative video and provides a great option as people age. If you are a long-term resident, are there any difficulties with obtaining a long-term visa?

Awful for anyone who cannot climb stairs. Noticed the pool does have a ramp. Also, I noticed that there are standard low toilets - none shown have a raised toilet seat or bars to help you get up if needed. It may be a good resort for healthy seniors but not for partially disabled persons with acute osteoarthritis. The standard wooden chairs and the beds also do not have guard rails to help you get up. ☹️

Good to know... Thank you!

Ha ha, just as I was listening to the part on your video about how they have power outages occasionally but they have the generators that come on - poof the power just went out here in the Philippines at 9:50 AM, I could hear our neighbors generators start to come on, we don’t have one yet but it’s amazing how you get through it no problem. I have a UPS that keeps the Internet and router going in the house, the power will come back on in due time. It seems like Thailand and Philippines are very similar. I HAVE NO PLANS TO MOVE BACK TO THE USA We both eat healthier here and every early morning We Go For a vigorous walk like so many other Filipinos in our neighborhood do, fresh vegetables, fruits, chickens that really just lay the egg in the yard and you gotta go chase them down If you wanna eat one, I meet with my Filipino buddies each Morning for $.60 fresh brewed coffee and we shoot the breeze.

Yes, LTC is prohibitively expensive in the western world and comparably more affordable in SE Asia. However, i don’t think that this is a single issue matter. I am also prone to consider the cost of health insurance for those over 80 years of age in Thailand. What will happen to my coverage premiums after a claim is filed, as this often happens to those over 80. My understanding is that, in spite of the “usual” insurance co. rhetoric, it is not unheard of that the insured is then cancelled and other health insurance companies do not want to insure them. This is also a consideration that if ignored and not considered can be to the detriment of the older expat. Where do we stand with respect to this matter. I read few years ago that one is wanted when they are younger healthy and can spend money but the tables/costs turn when they are not. To what degree do they turn with respect to the insurance premiums?

What speed is the internet? Is it fast enough, with enough bandwidth, to support video streaming by many guests at the same time? Only other problem I see is that Chiang Mai is apparently notorious for very bad air quality during the months when farmers burn their fields, which is not exactly good for older people.

Well done sir. Well done. There are a plethora of Chiang Mai vloggers out there, You are unique. Subbed.

Will Social Security pay your benefits if one moves to Thailand? How about Veterans benefits? My thesis in college was: Alternative to Nursing Home Care. This by far is the best I’ve ever seen. I’m retired & this video gives me hope to affordable aging in place.

Great video! I know I am about a month late in finding this but, i can see myself retiring in another country. My mom is currently in a rehab place and IF she was in a private room it would be over $350. I could stay at a 5 star hotel for about that price granted no rehab. The prices are crazy and it seems that for long term care the food is not so great, and the facility is not in the best of shape. Plus I know of no place where you have a pool that is wheelchair accessible let alone with a sauna or massage area.

In Mexico right now. Thinking of visiting CM. It’s just so far away from the states. But maybe for a short visit.

What is the name of this facility and directions to find it???

Great info thanks