Poland faces a growing challenge in its long-term care system for the elderly as the population ages, with an urgent need for more care facility spaces.
Poland's long-term care system for the elderly is under increasing pressure due to the aging population, which requires more accommodation in care facilities. Currently, there are only 152,000 places available, while a report indicates that by 2040, the country would need approximately 276,000 places to adequately support those aged 75 and older. This gap of 124,000 necessary new places highlights systemic deficiencies in care infrastructure, particularly concerning private residential services for seniors (PRS).
The report by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego and the National Chamber of Care Homes outlines three main pillars of the long-term care system in Poland. While two pillars are currently functioning, the lack of PRS specifically designed for seniors is critical. This absence poses significant challenges in providing adequate support and care for an increasing elderly population, as there aren't enough facilities to cater to this demographic.
When compared to other European countries, Poland's long-term care situation reveals stark discrepancies in the distribution of available spaces among different regions (voivodeships). For instance, urban areas are seeing a population of 600,000 individuals aged 80 and over, which is expected to swell to 900,000 in just a decade. This raises a significant concern for the future of aging citizens in Poland, emphasizing the urgent need for better planning and resources to ensure proper care infrastructure is developed before the crisis deepens.
