How Does Elderly Care Work Around The World?
As healthcare, medicine and quality of life improve around the world, human life expectancy is experiencing an overall increase. Naturally, this is resulting in a rise in the number of elderly people to an all-time high, and that trend isn’t about to change any time soon.
With the number of retirement-age adults expected to keep growing in all regions of the world, there’s a continual need for more dedicated elderly care services to help support our aging populations and ensure they remain physically and mentally healthy. Of course, each country has its own health and social care system, which means we have numerous examples available to us of how to offer elderly care.
Which Countries Have The Best Elderly Care?
Whilst the UK isn’t in the number one spot for the country with the best elderly care, it is widely considered to be one of the best places in the world – largely thanks to the wide range of versatile homecare services that are on offer to elderly people both in their own homes and in care homes, including specialist support for people needing condition-led care. The UK is also home to some of the best carers in the world, and has a good reputation for carer training and welfare.
Away from the UK, Norway is generally accepted as being the best country for elderly care. Norway supports its elderly in a number of ways, including a government-funded care system, numerous social opportunities and high-quality public health care. Belgium and the US also rank highly, although the US has a much higher retirement age than most other countries which some researches believe reduces the stress on their health care system.
How Do Care Systems Differ Around The World?
Elderly care in the UK follows a ‘staggered care’ system, whereby elderly people receive increased levels of support as they age and as their condition worsens. Initially, carers will help with simply day-to-day tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and will progress on to more specialised personal care and medical support as the customer’s circumstances change.
Countries such as Belgium, Australia and France have publicly-funded care systems where most of the care is funded by social contributions and general taxes. In Belgium in particular, there’s a strong emphasis on family members doing everything possible to ensure their loved ones are able to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Conversely, the US care system is largely private and individuals must sign up to a health programme to help with medical costs.
Other care systems of note include cohabiting systems and family care systems. Germany employs a cohabiting care system, which is where elderly people live together in a community apartment so that they’ve got more opportunities to socialise and be independent. In countries where they have fewer care homes, such as Italy, elderly care is considered a family responsibility so most old people will stay at home throughout old age and receive care from family members.
Arrange Elderly Care With Helping Hands Today
If you’d like to find out more about elderly care, please don’t hesitate to call our wonderful customer support team who are available to talk to seven days a week. Helping Hands have extensive experience in supporting elderly people across England and Wales to live more independently, confidently and securely, and we’d love to hear how we can help you or your loved one to do the same.
Our care focuses on allowing our customers to live their best life without having to sacrifice their favourite things, such as the home they love, their regular hobbies and activities, and precious time spent with friends and family. Let us know how we can best support you today.