The future of elderly care in Turkey

Abstract

Although elderly and end-of-life care have been neglected in Turkey, because older people did not constitute a high percentage of the population, the proportion of citizens aged >65 years is now 7.5%, with this proportion expected to increase to 10.2% by 2023, 21% by 2050 and 28% by 2075.1 These estimates put Turkey as one of the most rapidly ageing populations in the world and have stimulated research and discussions around healthy ageing, chronic disease management and elderly care.