Half of world's older people lack long-term care

ILO study reveals

More than half of the global population aged 65 and above, representing 300 million (30 crore) people, is excluded from urgently needed long-term care (LTC), says a new study of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), reports BSS. The study released on October 1 also revealed a global shortfall of 13.6 million care workers undermining the delivery of quality services to the older persons. It finds extreme deficits in social protection for older persons in 46  countries where 80 per cent of the world population aged 65 and over lives. Among the 46 countries, where only India is included from SAARC region, the highest 17.1 formal long term care workers are provided for 100 persons in Norway, with Sweden (9.6), Israel (8), the Netherlands (7.3), Luxemburg (6.9) and United Kingdom (6.9) among the top five. There are no formal long term care workers in some of the selected countries including India, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Columbia.
The study, however, said that 80 per cent of LTC work is provided by unpaid female family members of older persons and their numbers exceed by far the numbers of formal LTC workers in all countries. According to the study, the highest deficit is observed in Asia and the Pacific where there is a shortage of 8.2 million LTC workers, meaning 65 per cent of the older population is excluded from access to long-term care. Africa lacks 1.5 million LTC workers while more than 90 per cent of older persons there do not receive long-term care services when in need. It said only 5.6 per cent of the global population lives in countries that provide universal LTC coverage while more than 48 per cent of the world's population is not protected by national LTC legislation and another 46.3 per cent are excluded from LTC coverage due to narrow regulations that limit benefits only to the poorest. The study finds that the European countries spend most on LTC, but the amount is only 2 per cent or less of their GDP on LDC. As a result, the older population living in developed and developing countries has to pay up to 100 per cent of LTC out of their own pocket.

Half of worlds older people lack long-term care

ILO study reveals

More than half of the global population aged 65 and above, representing 300 million (30 crore) people, is excluded from urgently needed long-term care (LTC), says a new study of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), reports BSS. The study released on October 1 also revealed a global shortfall of 13.6 million care workers undermining the delivery of quality services to the older persons. It finds extreme deficits in social protection for older persons in 46 countries where 80 per cent of the world population aged 65 and over lives. Among the 46 countries, where only India is included from SAARC region, the highest 17.1 formal long term care workers are provided for 100 persons in Norway, with Sweden (9.6), Israel (8), the Netherlands (7.3), Luxemburg (6.9) and United Kingdom (6.9) among the top five. There are no formal long term care workers in some of the selected countries including India, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Columbia. The study, however, said that 80 per cent of LTC work is provided by unpaid female family members of older persons and their numbers exceed by far the numbers of formal LTC workers in all countries. According to the study, the highest deficit is observed in Asia and the Pacific where there is a shortage of 8.2 million LTC workers, meaning 65 per cent of the older population is excluded from access to long-term care. Africa lacks 1.5 million LTC workers while more than 90 per cent of older persons there do not receive long-term care services when in need. It said only 5.6 per cent of the global population lives in countries that provide universal LTC coverage while more than 48 per cent of the worlds population is not protected by national LTC legislation and another 46.3 per cent are excluded from LTC coverage due to narrow regulations that limit benefits only to the poorest. The study finds that the European countries spend most on LTC, but the amount is only 2 per cent or less of their GDP on LDC. As a result, the older population living in developed and developing countries has to pay up to 100 per cent of LTC out of their own pocket.