[Square] Challenges of Long-Term Care Institutions, the Cradle of Elderly Welfare

[Asia Economy] Every human being wishes to live a long life. Perhaps that is why the saying "Even if you roll in dog poop, this life is better" has been passed down since ancient times. Among the five blessings of humans, longevity is the foremost; living a long and healthy life is a blessing, but living long while suffering from illness is rather a disaster.

Recently, the number of elderly people suffering from dementia and stroke has been increasing every year. Additionally, social changes such as the rise of nuclear families and reduced time spent together among family members have caused elderly depression and have produced more elderly people suffering from illness. This is also the background behind South Korea's unfortunate distinction of having the highest elderly suicide rate among OECD countries.

The Long-Term Care Insurance system for the elderly was created as a solution to simultaneously address the pressing issues faced by elderly people in pain and their families. Since the system was implemented in July 2008, society and the government have taken the lead in actively resolving these problems. However, this year, due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), not only has everyone’s daily life been restricted, but especially visits between elderly residents in long-term care facilities and their families have been blocked, exacerbating difficulties.

It is true that the operation of long-term care institutions initially went through a trial-and-error phase. However, as years have passed, the system has been finding its footing. Comparing the results of the regular evaluations conducted every three years in 2016 and 2019 reveals a clear difference. In 2019, the proportion of top-tier A and B grade institutions increased by 9.2 percentage points compared to 2016, while the lowest E grade decreased by 5 percentage points, indicating a significant improvement in the service level of long-term care institutions. Continuous guidance and supervision by the National Health Insurance Service have led to higher satisfaction among beneficiaries.

South Korea is experiencing one of the world's highest levels of aging society. Naturally, elderly health issues are becoming a significant burden on society and the nation, and it is clear that this will become even more serious. The issue of aging is not simply an arithmetic increase in the elderly population but is gaining credibility as a social phenomenon with far-reaching effects. Therefore, thorough preparation must precede, much like facing an oncoming train or tsunami, beyond mere welfare measures. One of these preparations is how well the demand for long-term care institutions is met and how much the quality of service is improved.

There are considerable obstacles to realizing this. Since the introduction of the Long-Term Care Insurance system in 2008, the number of service providers and beneficiaries has increased over the past 12 years, but 99% of service supply is currently dominated by private institutions. Just as the COVID-19 national disaster has highlighted the importance of public medical institutions and the urgent need to expand regional public healthcare, the same applies to long-term care. Expanding national and public long-term care institutions to establish a public service supply system and strengthening publicness through enhanced management and supervision by the government and local governments are necessary. Only then can the intended achievements of the Long-Term Care Insurance system be elevated.

Moreover, to improve service quality, the exceptional sense of mission and volunteer spirit of care workers employed at long-term care institutions is essential. Comprehensive improvements in their treatment, including wage increases and social perception enhancement, must support the boosting of their pride.

Finally, alongside the establishment of a more proactive management system by national agencies, long-term care institutions themselves need to make efforts for self-purification to shed the stigma of being merely profit-making entities. This is because long-term care institutions should be places where elderly people suffering from various illnesses and pains can rest comfortably without great burden.

In the future, elderly welfare issues will largely depend on how the number and quality of long-term care institutions evolve and develop. We must remember that the well-being of elderly people enduring various diseases and pain depends on this.

Oh Hoseon, Former Director of the Korea Senior Citizens Association Central Committee

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.