Learning lessons from Oz
A funding crisis looms for New Zealand’s aged care sector, reports The Conversation. Inadequate funding has caused providers to scale down the number of beds in their facilities, while smaller providers have closed their doors for good. Adding to industry woes is an acute shortage of registered nurses which, in 2023, led to the permanent closure of 1,000 beds; a further 1,200 beds closed temporarily. Health NZ estimates a shortage of 12,000 beds within eight years. To address the problem, the government could look to Australia and call on wealthier members of society to pay a fairer share of the costs.
Supporting unpaid carers
When caring for ageing relatives, many Chilean families lack government support, reports Equal Times. Legislation – the Chile Cuida bill, currently in its first stage of review and discussion – seeks to address the issue by making care a fundamental right. To achieve this, the legislation proposes the establishment of an integrated care system combining public, community and private initiatives, coordinated and regulated by the state. The goal is to provide better quality, more accessible care services and to support the work of carers, especially unpaid carers – the majority of whom are women.
Study reveals upsides of living in an aged care home
New UK research shows the many benefits of living in an aged care home, reports MedicalXpress. Among them, residents who had felt isolated living on their own now enjoyed social connection. Care home activities also enriched lives. As well, care homes can be inclusive environments where diversity is valued and respected. An aged care facility can offer the reassurance and safety that some older people might need while alleviating the strain and worry for families. Care homes also provide support with healthcare, including medication management. Finally, residents appreciated chores that they previously had difficulty with – such as laundry – being done for them.
Silver economy about to boom
China’s demographic crisis is not without opportunity for entrepreneurs, reports The Wire China. The country is ageing considerably faster than comparable countries and the number of aged care facilities in China has already doubled since 2018. By 2035, demand for beds is projected to rise from 8.4 million to 12 million. To help take care of such a massive increase in demand, Beijing is calling for vigorous development of the silver economy by calling on entrepreneurs to transform vacant and unused spaces into nursing homes. With China’s silver economy expected to be worth $4.2 trillion by 2035, China’s business community is paying attention.
Calls for home care reforms
Taiwan is set to become a super-aged society next year, with 20 per cent of the population aged 65-plus, reports Radio Taiwan. To tackle the rising demographic, the Taiwan Home Care Service Strategy Alliance is calling for reforms to improve the quality and accessibility of home care services. Key proposals include better quality management, increased pay and career opportunities for care workers, flexible payment systems, and professional evaluation mechanisms. A growing concern is that while the demand for care is rising, the number of care workers is not keeping pace. The government will need to act quickly to address these challenges as Taiwan prepares for its ageing future.
Recruitment challenges ahead
Some 600,000 care workers are employed in Belgium, but if demand for care continues to grow, the sector will need up to 25 per cent extra staff by 2040, reports The Brussels Times. To meet the increasing demand, more than 124,000 extra care workers will be needed in the coming 15 years. This includes hospital staff, but also those caring for Belgium’s older citizens. Employing people from abroad is not considered a solution, because the working-age population in Europe is expected to fall by 2 to 3 million people per year from 2030 onwards, meaning it will be increasingly difficult to attract qualified care workers from abroad.
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