Comparative study of elderly care services among Iran, United States of America, and Sweden

Abstract

Background and Aim: According to statistics, the world is rapidly moving towards aging. The aim of this study was to compare United States of America, Sweden and Iran in regard to population aging status, types of aged care services and types of aged care service providers. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using a descriptive-comparative approach in 2019. Data were collected by reviewing the texts in the libraries and the websites of the relevant organizations of the selected countries. The references used were in Persian and English languages between 2000 and 2019. Results: The results showed that Sweden and the United States have faced the population aging phenomenon earlier (than Iran) and have more diverse services in regard to the various aspects of life for old people and also a wider population coverage. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we recommend the use of the experiences of successful countries that have faced the elderly crisis before Iran. Some of the issues that should be considered include: public coverage of social and health insurance for the old people, use of volunteers and private sector capacity, integrated care using an interdisciplinary team, use of modern technologies such as smart alarms and Eldercare Locator Software, needs assessment and capacity building for human resource training, and considering financial and non-financial support for the families which take care of their elderly members.