ORGANIZATION OF MEDICAL CARE FOR THE OLDER PERSONS. A REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

Abstract

Introduction. The global trend of population ageing is a significant issue, equally relevant to all countries. The World Health Organization predicts that the number of people aged 80 years and over will triple between 2020 and 2050, reaching 426 million. The increase in the elderly population poses serious challenges to national health systems, as it leads to higher health care costs and reduced access to medical care for other age groups. The increasing number of chronic diseases and the expected aging of the population requires clear planning and responsible actions. To this end, we conducted a literature review to examine what countries around the world are doing to address the challenges of caring for older people while adapting to the needs of their aging populations. Aim: study of international experience in organizing medical care for the older persons in different countries of the world. Search strategy. The material of the publication was prepared on the basis of searches in databases: Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, BMC, digital scientific library CyberLeninka, data from official administrative internet resources. A total of 421 sources were found, from which 74 sources were selected, relevant both to the studied issue and satisfying the search depth of 10 years, published in Russian and English languages. Inclusion criteria: full-text open access publications appropriate to the research topic and depth of search. Exclusion criteria: publications that do not match the search criteria, short communications, advertising and newspaper articles, conference abstracts. Results. Analysis of international experience has shown that the organization of care for people aged 60 years and older varies depending on the cultural, social and economic conditions of each country and reflects the specific characteristics of different countries. Consequently, the model of primary health care organization for older patients should include not only medical, but also other aspects, primarily social, and be based on interagency cooperation. Conclusion. Health systems around the world are facing new challenges in the context of inevitable demographic ageing. Recognizing the importance of the advancement of geriatric medicine, there is a need to focus on the development of programs and policies specifically adapted for older persons in the context of a globally ageing population.