Community Care Facilities for the Elderly Market

Market Overview

Community Care Facilities or Residential Care Facilities are services provided to geriatrics to assist their day-to-day routine of care, supervision and assistance with activities such as bathing and grooming and providing medicine as per regimen. In many cases high level of care and supervision is required when people are unable to ambulate by themselves but who do not need 24 hour nursing care.

They are considered non-medical facilities and are not required to have nurses, certified nursing assistants or doctors on staff. These services are provided either home to home or at a private facility away from the patient’s home. Community care facilities are strictly regulated for quality of environment and expertise of the staff.

The demand for community care has increased exponentially over the years particularly due to decreased focus and attention meted out to geriatrics by family. This is further fueled with low awareness and training in handling of serious medical situation for old people such as Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s, heart attack, post-surgical care and palliative care.

In many situations, end-of-life care is required to be provided which cannot be given in hospitals due to over occupation of hospital premises. Other services may include adult day health care, companionship, delivery of consumables and medical supplies, counseling, emergency alert response, home repair, home-delivered meals, home nursing, legal assistance, material aid, medical therapeutic services, personal care, transportation, and other community-based services.

Regional Outlook

The largest market for elderly community care services is estimated to be in North America which accounts for approximately 37% of the global market followed by Europe. China and Japan, are the world’s largest geriatric population regions where the market is expected to rise significantly in coming years.

Cultural differentiation has affected the decision of hiring community care facility as aged people tend to misconstrue the move as abandonment by families which can strain health further. This is expected to remain a constant challenge in developing regions.

Rapid urbanization and changing mindset may lead to better acceptance of these facilities in future. Home Community Care will be accepted much faster than care provided at a different facility such as an old age home.

Key Players

Since the facilities are strictly regulated, many of the facilities are government based facilities. Private companies such as Visiting Angels, Care Pathways, Home Instead, Senior Homes and Maxim Home Care are just a few examples in a market teeming with hundreds of players.

Unique aspect of this industry is the fact that local players can have a market space of their own regardless of global leaders. Thus the market is expected to remain highly fragmented in coming years as well.