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Almost half of the world's senior citizens are not getting the help they need
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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According to WHO, there are about 600 million people over 60 years old on Earth. It is expected that by 2025 the number of elderly people in the world will double. But today it is quite difficult to satisfy all the needs of this category of citizens related to health and normal quality of life. A group of scientists conducted a study at one of the Michigan universities, as well as at the Washington City Institute, which showed that half of the elderly regularly face difficulties and do not receive the necessary assistance.
In the course of their work, the specialists assessed the indicators of one of the health insurance programs. The scientists analyzed the data of elderly people who took part in the National Study of Aging in 2011. As a result, it was found that 11 million elderly people received the help they needed in their daily lives. Just over half of the study participants noted that the previous month had passed without any particular difficulties, but almost 30% needed help (with housework, self-care, or mobility). Another 20% of participants managed with difficulty, but on their own.
Among the elderly citizens who received assistance, one in four lived in a hospice (a special medical institution that provides decent care to people who are predicted to die) or in a nursing home.
In addition, low-income senior citizens often had severe disabilities. In hospices, such people needed daily assistance with three or more personal matters.
Almost every elderly person had at least one relative or close friend who could provide care.
Elderly citizens in nursing homes received an average of more than 150 hours of informal care per month, while those in hospice received about 50 hours.
About 70% of elderly citizens were helped by relatives or friends, and 30% were forced to pay for the services provided. Among those people who paid for care, a large number of people were dissatisfied with the services they received.
About 5.5 million people worldwide have experienced adverse effects after receiving poor-quality personal care services. Among older people who received care from a specially hired person (a caregiver), the number of adverse outcomes almost doubled.
In addition, Princeton University, after analyzing data from a 2004 study, came to the conclusion that daughters are more likely to care for elderly parents than sons.
Researchers noted that women spend 12.3 hours a month caring for their parents, while men spend 5.6 hours a month. Women's time caring for their parents is limited by other responsibilities (work, children, housework, etc.), while men help their parents only when there is no one else to do so. If a family has children of both sexes, then guardianship of elderly parents is distributed according to gender. Sons often place the entire responsibility for caring for their parents on women's shoulders.
Experts consider these conclusions to be extremely important, since such care often results in severe mental and physical consequences for the health of people who care for elderly relatives, often leading to death. People who care for the elderly often balance between their daily responsibilities (work, home, family, etc.) and caring for elderly parents, often people give up successful careers, etc. In addition, caring for the elderly requires significant expenses, since quite often it is necessary to help with the purchase of medications or paying bills.
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