Cultural and Geographic Differences
The form of elderly care provided varies greatly among countries and is changing rapidly. Even within the same country, regional differences exist with respect to the care for the elderly. However, it has been observed that the global elderly consume the most health expenditures out of any other age group, an observation that shows worldwide eldercare may be very similar. We must also account for an increasingly large proportion of global elderly, especially in developing nations, as continued pressure is put on limiting fertility and decreasing family size.
Traditionally, elderly care has been the responsibility of family members and was provided within the extended family home. Increasingly in modern societies, elderly care is now being provided by state or charitable institutions. The reasons for this change include decreasing family size, the greater life expectancy of elderly people, the geographical dispersion of families, and the tendency for women to be educated and work outside the home. Although these changes have affected European and North American countries first, they are now increasingly affecting Asian countries as well.
In most western countries, elderly care facilities are residential family care homes, freestanding assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). A family care home is a residential home with support and supervisory personnel by an agency, organization, or individual that provides room and board, personal care and habilitation services in a family environment for at least two and no more than six persons.
Read more about this topic: Elderly Care
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