한국의 노인 장기의료 및 요양서비스

Geriatric Long-Term Care Practice in Korea

The inexorable rise of health expenditures for the elderly is a major public burden in Korea. As a sharp increase of the population of the elderly, informal caregiver burdens and consequent wealth and health deprivation of caregivers remains top social concern. In response to the resolution of this concern, Korea implemented the long-term care insurance since 2008. There are various types of geriatric long-term care and assisted living facilities. Comprehensive geriatric assessment, adequate transitions between care facilities, and assurance of continuity and integration of care are core care objectives in geriatric long-term care practice in Korea. To achieve these objectives, a comprehensive review of facility care settings, geriatric workforce and payment policies is urgently warranted. Current review can be widely applied to health care providers caring older adults in Korean long-term care facilities.