Sharp Rise in Germany's Elderly Requiring Care Over Past Decade
The number of people dependent on care in Germany has surged to 5.7 million, with a majority receiving care at home, reflecting a growing reliance on family and ambulatory services.
- Germany recorded 5.7 million people requiring care by the end of 2023, an increase of over 700,000 since 2021.
- In Saxony-Anhalt, the number of care-dependent individuals doubled over the past decade, reaching over 204,000 in 2023.
- Approximately 86% of those needing care in Germany, or 4.9 million people, are supported at home, often by family members or ambulatory services.
- The proportion of care-dependent individuals in nursing homes has declined, with only 14% receiving full-time institutional care by the end of 2023.
- The rise in care needs is attributed partly to an aging population and broader definitions of care dependency introduced in 2017.
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