TY - UNPB

T1 - Long-term Care in Denmark

AU - Gørtz, Mette

AU - Christensen, Bent Jesper

AU - Gupta, Nabanita Datta

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The population is aging in Denmark, as in many other countries, due to increasing life expectancyand a low total fertility rate. This potentially puts the Danish welfare state under pressure. Thispaper discusses the demographic and socioeconomic situation of the elderly in Denmark,focusing on the health status and financial situation of the elderly, and the provision of long-termcare (LTC). We rely on a combination of survey data, mainly from the Survey of Health andRetirement in Europe (SHARE), and high-quality register data covering the entire Danishpopulation. We find that a large fraction of the elderly is in good health, but that those in the olderage group, 85+, face considerably more functional limitations in daily living. One in three of theelderly receives some form of long-term care, and more than half the 85+ group. The paperfurther identifies a number of current challenges regarding organization of the long-term caresector, including recruitment of personnel for health care and LTC. Finally, the paper sheds lighton the extent of informal care provided by family and friends. While informal care is offeredvoluntarily and is generally unpaid, it represents a substantial opportunity cost to society.

AB - The population is aging in Denmark, as in many other countries, due to increasing life expectancyand a low total fertility rate. This potentially puts the Danish welfare state under pressure. Thispaper discusses the demographic and socioeconomic situation of the elderly in Denmark,focusing on the health status and financial situation of the elderly, and the provision of long-termcare (LTC). We rely on a combination of survey data, mainly from the Survey of Health andRetirement in Europe (SHARE), and high-quality register data covering the entire Danishpopulation. We find that a large fraction of the elderly is in good health, but that those in the olderage group, 85+, face considerably more functional limitations in daily living. One in three of theelderly receives some form of long-term care, and more than half the 85+ group. The paperfurther identifies a number of current challenges regarding organization of the long-term caresector, including recruitment of personnel for health care and LTC. Finally, the paper sheds lighton the extent of informal care provided by family and friends. While informal care is offeredvoluntarily and is generally unpaid, it represents a substantial opportunity cost to society.

UR - https://www.nber.org/papers/w31889

U2 - 10.3386/w31889

DO - 10.3386/w31889

M3 - Working paper

VL - 31889

BT - Long-term Care in Denmark

PB - National Bureau of Economic Research

ER -