| [ Summary ] |
The "2025 problem" refers to the various issues associated with the "baby boomers" (born between 1947 and 1949) becoming elderly (aged 75 years or older) by 2025. As both the number of and required services for people receiving medical and long-term care is expected to increase, the current medical and long-term care delivery system is no longer fit to meet the demand and has become unsustainable. Therefore, the establishment of community-based integrated care systems is needed to rebuild the medical and nursing care delivery system by 2025. However, after 2025, the population aged 65 years and older will continue to increase until the early 2040s. Moreover, as the population decreases, the proportion of people aged 65 years and older will continue to increase after the 2040s, reaching nearly 40 % in 2065. Therefore, further and constant medical and long-term care system reform will be necessary after 2025. |