A Research On The Mode Of Medical Care And Elderly Carecombination: Status Quo, Problems And Solutions

As China becomes an aging society, its aging process has dramaticallyaccelerated. The large number and rapid increase of elderly population has aggravatedthe tendency of demographic aging and empty-nest phenomenon, which followed by aleap in the size of frail elderly. Health problems have posed a great threat to thecurrent medical care and elderly care system. Therefore, the innovation in the mode ofelderly care system calls for integration with medical care resources.The combination of medical care and elderly care is a part of long-term care. Bydiscussing the concept and content of long-term care, this paper figures out themeaning of elderly care and medical care combination, including the object, thecontent, the supplier, the mode and the qualification and the market access standardfor the organizations who provide this kind of service.U.S., Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweden, etc have already stepped into agingsociety and realized the problem of the long-term care for elderly people in the earlystage. Through the implement of law and policy, as well as the dominantresponsibility of government, these countries have built the diverse modes offund-raising and client-oriented services for senior citizen. Furthermore, with theexpansion in aged population and the increasing will to home/community-based carefor the elderly, it has become a trend to lay more and more emphasis onhome/community-based care.China has become old before being rich. Government pays great attention to theaging problem, consistently researching and tracking the demographics to understandthe present situation of frail elderly around the country. The paradox is thatoversupply along with the lack of access to resources both exists in the market ofelderly care market. Recently, cities such as Beijing, Anhui and Qingdao hasestablished the mode of elderly care and medical care combination, e.g. geriatricwards in public hospitals, clinics in gerocomium and the involvement of privatecapital. However, the trial across the country is restricted as a result of the deficiency of law and policy, the blocked financing channel and inadequacy of qualifiedemployees.Finally, it is recommended to strengthen the responsibility of the government andthe multi-sector collaboration in promoting the mode of elderly care and medical carecombination; to encourage private capital to participate in providing elderly care andmedical care services; to establish the long term care insurance system gradually, anddevelop commercial insurance for elderly care and medical care. To provideinstitutional norm and safeguard for the combination of elderly care and medical care,the regulation and law need to be improved. To establish the elderly care and medicalcare combination system which is focus on home-based care services, relying on thecommunity, and supported by the medical institutions. To strengthen humanconstruction in elderly care and medical care combination services in multiple ways,including job training and education before graduation.