The analysis of the development of the number of home health care patients, hospitalized patients and clients of residential care facilities between 2000 and 2016
Abstract
Purpose: The current trend is to support the stay of seniors in their homes in a state of illness or reduced self-sufficiency. This fact is supported by both international and national strategy papers, which aim to reduce the number of hospitalizations in older adults and move the care for the elderly in to their homes.
Methods: Available statistics and overviews were put into the context for the analysis of the development of the number of home health care patients, hospitalized patients and clients of the residential care facilities. Results: The number of people aged 65 and older, as well as the number of home health care patients aged 65 and older (by 8.68%) grew between 2000 and 2016, however the percentage of home health care patients of this age group decreased in the context of the same old population from 7.52% in 2000 to 5.84% in 2016.
The number of hospitalizations in patients aged 65 years and older increased by 30.6% between 2000 and 2016. Likewise, the number of patients transferred from hospitals to residential care facilities increased during this period.
The number of clients in residential care facilities was rising significantly. In these facilities, the number of clients increased by 15% between 2006 and 2016.
The number of unsatisfied applications for residential care facilities grew during this period as well, especially in the case of residential service "residential care facility for people with dementia", where the number of unsatisfied applications increased by 171%. Conclusion: In spite of the strategic documents objectives, the number of home health care patients aged 65 and older has not grown in recent years considering the same old population.
Instead, there has been a significant increase in the number of hospitalizations in patients aged 65 years and older and there has been a rapid increase in the number of clients of residential care facilities as well, including unsatisfied applications for these services.