National legislation, policies, strategies, frameworks, plans or programs on long-term care
Data type:
Proportion
Rationale:
National legislation, policies, strategies, frameworks, plans, or programs on long-term care for older persons are essential to meet the diverse needs of older populations, ensure access to quality care, support family caregivers, uphold rights and standards, promote economic sustainability, respond to changing care needs, advance public health goals, and fulfil global and regional commitments to older persons' well-being and dignity.
Definition:
National legislation, policies, strategies, frameworks, plans, or programs on long-term care for older persons refer to formal governmental initiatives to address the comprehensive needs of older people who require ongoing assistance with activities of daily living and healthcare. These initiatives encompass a range of measures designed to ensure that older persons receive appropriate, integrated, and continuum care and support as they age.
Disaggregation:
WHO Region and Income Group
Method of measurement
Calculating this indicator requires country-reported data on national legislation, policies, strategies, frameworks, plans or programs on long-term care. At the global level, these data are periodically collected through the Decade Process Evaluation Survey.
Method of estimation:
The number of countries in the region that responded "Yes", "No" or "Not Reported".
This indicator primarily measures the existence of national legislation, policies, strategies, frameworks, plans, or programs on long-term care for older persons but does not assess their implementation or effectiveness. While having these frameworks is a significant step, it does not ensure they are adequately enforced, sufficiently resourced, or integrated into practical care systems. The indicator also does not evaluate the quality, comprehensiveness, or alignment of these documents with best practices, which can vary widely in scope and detail. Additionally, it does not account for how well these policies address the diverse and evolving needs of older persons or the real-world impact on their access to and quality of long-term care. Variations in the definition and scope of long-term care across countries remain a challenge for cross-country comparisons.
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