Document Type : Original Article
Researcher
NO
Ministerial Ethics Committee
The increase in the elderly population in Iran and the world is one of the major demographic developments of the 21st century. Due to the lengthening of life expectancy and the decline in fertility, the number of elderly people in the population is growing. In Iran, the elderly population over 60 years old has increased from 7% in 2016 to more than 10% in 2021, and this trend will continue to increase. This change in the demographic structure has consequences in the socio-economic and health fields. Most people in society live at home and in the community. Therefore, the role of informal care by the family is particularly important. Family care, as the main form of informal care, includes physical, psychological and social support for the elderly and is carried out without receiving a salary. This type of care has been established as a major part of the long-term care system since the 1980s.
Given the important issues, caregivers face the challenges of changing psychological pressures, being confined to the home, studying, marrying or migrating. Therefore, families take and receive care for the elderly, which they experience in this way, they are more recognized. Identifying factors for designing the care process can lead to better conditions for families, support and educational policies, and improving the quality of life of the elderly. The research community is to maintain the informal family of the elderly living in the community with what gains, challenges and setups they create.