16th August 2017
Extra 71,200 care home beds needed by 2025
The Lancet
"We aimed to estimate years lived in different dependency states at age 65 years in 1991 and 2011, and new projections of future demand for care.
... There were substantial reductions in the proportions with medium and high dependency who lived in care homes, although, if these dependency and care home proportions remain constant in the future, further population ageing will require an extra 71,215 care home places by 2025.
On average older men now spend 2·4 years and women 3·0 years with substantial care needs, and most will live in the community. These findings have considerable implications for families of older people who provide the majority of unpaid care, but the findings also provide valuable new information for governments and care providers planning the resources and funding required for the care of their future ageing populations."
