As people age, it becomes more likely that they will need day-to-day help with activities such as washing and dressing, or help with household activities such as cleaning and cooking. This type of support (along with some types of medical care) is what is called long-term care. Estimating the trends and demand for long-term care is essential to shape policy and programme to address the growing health care needs of older people.
Recognizing the growing need for long-term care services, the UN has designated access to long-term care as one of the four action areas under this Decade. The endorsement of providing access to long-term care as a key action by Member States in the World Health Assembly and the UN General Assembly in 2020 underscores the importance and recognition of this issue on a global scale. N resolution 2020 urges WHO to track the Member States' progress in ensuring access to long-term care and report back to the General Assembly in 2026 and 2029.
Definition:
Long-term care (health and social) consists of services to ensure that people with or at risk of significant loss of physical and mental capacity can maintain functional ability consistent with their basic rights, fundamental freedoms and human dignity. Long-term care aims to prevent, reduce, or rehabilitate functional decline, and it can be provided in different settings, such as at home, in the community, in hospitals, in residential care facilities, or in hospices. These services typically involve care and support with everyday tasks (including dressing, bathing, shopping, cooking and cleaning), support with social participation, and management of advanced chronic conditions through community nursing, rehabilitation and end-of-life care. Services are provided by family members, friends or other community members (also called informal or unpaid carers) or by paid care workers.
Disaggregation:
Age (five-year age band), sex, income level, education level, place of residence (administrative region, e.g. cities, towns, semi-dense areas, and rural areas), setting (residential care facility, at home in the community), disability status, nationally relevant population groups
Method of measurement
Method of measurement includes estimating number of older people assessed as being in need of long-term care. This assessment can be based on clinical evaluations, self-reported needs, or criteria defined by health and social care systems. Next, compiling data on the provision of care services, distinguishing between those who receive care in institutional settings (such as nursing homes or residential care facilities) and those who receive care in their own homes or communities. Data sources may include healthcare records, social care databases, population surveys, and reports from care providers. To ensure accuracy, data is cross-referenced from multiple sources and verifies for the consistency and completeness of the records. Consideration is given to the types and frequency of services provided, which can vary widely and impact the overall assessment of care received. To calculate percentage, the number of older people who received long-term care services, whether in facilities or at home is divided by the total number of older people identified as needing long-term care, and multiply by 100.
Method of estimation:
Data on demographics, health, social care and insurance were gathered and analyzed by OECD Stats. Access our latest data from OECD Health Statistics Two estimates were reported for this indicators. 1) Percentage of older adults aged 65 years receiving long term care in the facility or in home. 2) Percentage of female and male care recipients receiving long term care in the facility and in home. For the latter report, the denominator is a total number of recipients receiving long term care in the facility or in their home. Further the information was disaggregated by age (65+ and 80+ age groups).
Method of estimation of global and regional aggregates:
Rates for females, males and total population, for all ages and aged 65 and 80 years and older, are calculated based on the data series in the chapter Population age structure for both recipients in institutions and at home. Official data reported on care recipient and method used may vary by country. More information is provided elsewhere OECD Health Statistics 2020. June 2020.
http://www.oecd.org/health/health-data.htm
Accurately identifying and assessing the need for long-term care is challenging, as it depends on subjective criteria, varying definitions, and differences in how needs are recognized across regions or countries. This variability in definitions and eligibility criteria makes global comparisons difficult. Data collection may rely on self-reported information, healthcare records, or social care databases, which can be incomplete, outdated, or not fully representative. Additionally, this indicator does not account for the quality, frequency, or comprehensiveness of the care services provided, and it often overlooks informal care by family members or unpaid caregivers, which is significant in many contexts. The coverage of data, especially from low- and middle-income countries, is limited, making it difficult to draw broad conclusions.
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