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Population aging and issues surrounding family caregiver costs are worldwide trends and concerns. In this study, family caregivers lost productivity cost due to elderly care over time was examined and factors affecting lost productivity were analyzed. Based on these findings, the welfare system as related to the elderly should be re-evaluated, and concrete and realistic countermeasures developed.
Population aging is a trend worldwide and Korea is no exception. In Korea, the elderly population aged 65 or older increased from 13.6% of the total population in 2016 to 14.2% in 2017. The aging index (the ratio of the elderly population to 100 youth) increased from 100.1 in 2016 to 107.3 in 2017 (National Statistical Office, 2017). Due to the increase in the elderly population, the government is expanding health and welfare for older adults to improve their quality of life by helping them live healthy, not merely supporting them to extend their lifespan.
Long-term care is an integration of health and social systems, including all services provided to people requiring care from informal (relatives, neighbors, etc.) and formal (social workers, healthcare workers, etc.) caregivers. The need for care is affected by the subjects physical, mental, cognitive, and individual lifestyle and environment (Carpenter et al., 2001). In Korea, the national long-term care insurance introduced in 2008 was implemented to improve the health of the elderly and relieve the burden of care for their families by providing professional care services for people unable to live their daily lives due to conditions and disease common among older people (National Health Insurance Corporation, 2018). The content and duration of the Long-Term Care Insurance Plan for the elderly in Korea depend on individual older adults being classified into grades 1 to 5 according to the degree of their need for help in daily life activities due to impairment of mental and physical functioning. Higher grades mean greater severity and the requirement for more resources.
Long-term care services for the elderly are divided into home care services, facility services, and special cash benefits. Home care benefits include home visits, baths, nursing care, and day and night care. Facility benefits include provision of education and training to the elderly at facilities to support their physical activities and improve mental and physical functioning....