Long-Term Care System in Korea
Hyuk Ga
Abstract
Since the early 1960s with the rapid socioeconomic development and implementation of family planning, a remarkable demographic transition kicked off in Korea, with subsequent unprecedented growth in the aging population. 1) As of April 2020, 15.9% of the Korean population is aged 65 years or older, a proportion that is expected to reach 37.0% by 2050, the second-highest proportion among the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries after Japan. aditional Welfare for Older Adults in Korea "Respect for seniors" has been one of the core principles of Confucian philosophy that originated in the Chosun dynasty. This idea considered caring for parents to be a family duty; thus, institutionalized care was regarded as inappropriate until recent decades when long-term care facilities (LTCFs) became necessary. In 1885, a French Catholic missionary priest, Jean Marie Gustave Blanc, established a care home and cared for 40 people in Seoul, which was the first documented facility for older people in Korea. rea is a country with unexpectedly fast ageing speed, which gives burden on caregivers of older adults. Thanks to long-term care insurance and national health insurance system, most people who need long-term care are currently staying in long-term care facilities like nursing homes and long-term care hospitals. However, new project of integrated community care system is under trial implementation. This review demonstrates perspectives on Korean long-term care system from the past to the future.