The Global Population Aged 65+ Has Surpassed 760 million, With the Elderly Care Services Market Projected to Reach $394.48 Billion By 2026

Introduction to Elderly Care Services

Elderly care services refer to the comprehensive range of supportive, caregiving, and developmental services provided by various stakeholders, including the government, society, the market, and families, to meet the physiological, psychological, and social needs of the elderly. The core objective is to ensure the quality of life and dignity of the elderly, achieving the goals of "providing for the elderly, ensuring their access to medical care, enabling them to contribute, enabling them to learn, enabling them to enjoy life, and ensuring their well-being."

Officially, elderly care services can be divided into two main categories: basic elderly care services and broader elderly care services. Basic elderly care services are fundamental, universal, and safety-net services provided directly by the state or through support from relevant entities. These include material assistance, care services, and compassionate services, with a focus on vulnerable elderly groups such as the disabled, those without caregivers, and those facing difficulties. Broader elderly care services cover a full range of aspects, including daily living assistance, rehabilitation care, emotional support, cultural and recreational activities, emergency assistance, and social participation, and are provided collaboratively by multiple scenarios such as home, community, and institutional care.

Current Status and Trends of Population Aging

According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics in January 2026, by the end of 2025, China's population aged 60 and above will reach 323 million, accounting for 23.0% of the total population; the population aged 65 and above will reach 224 million, accounting for 15.9%, officially entering a deeply aging society. This process exhibits three "exceeding" characteristics: the scale exceeds expectations, with the elderly population increasing by approximately 50 million in 2025 compared to 2020, an average annual increase of over 10 million; the speed exceeds historical records, with China transitioning from an aging society (7% of the population aged 65 and above) to a deeply aging society (14%) in only about 20 years, far faster than France's 115 years and the United States' 69 years; and the aging trend is significant, with over 40 million people aged 80 and above, a growth rate 1.3 times that of the overall aging population. The UN's "World Population Prospects 2024" shows that the global population aged 60 and over will surpass 1 billion in 2025, accounting for 12.9% of the total population. More than 20 countries, including Japan (29.4%) and Italy (24.3%), have already entered super-aged societies (with over 20% of the population aged 65 and over).

In the next 10-30 years, aging will exhibit three core trends: irreversibility, acceleration, and increasing age. The National Health Commission and the State Council Leading Group Office of Aging jointly predict that China's elderly population will exceed 400 million in 2035, accounting for over 30% of the total population, entering a stage of severe aging; it will peak at around 480 million around 2050, accounting for approximately 35% of the total population. The United Nations' "World Population Prospects 2025" further points out that the global population aged 65 and over will increase from approximately 760 million in 2025 to 1.6 billion in 2050, rising from 10% to nearly 20% of the global population. Around 2035, the number of people aged 80 and over will reach 265 million, exceeding the number of infants under one year old for the first time. This trend will reshape the global economic structure, social security system, and industrial landscape, accelerating the rise of the silver economy while posing significant challenges to areas such as healthcare and elderly care services.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China and KFF State Health Facts, DIResearch, 2026

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, by the end of 2025, there were 39,411 licensed elderly care institutions in China, representing a decrease of 3,813 institutions compared with the previous year. These institutions provide a total of 7.68 million care beds. The number of elderly care institutions peaked in 2023 and has decreased for two consecutive years, mainly due to stricter national regulations and the high costs associated with operational upgrades. From a long-term perspective, demand driven by population aging will continue to grow. It is estimated that by around 2035, the population aged 60 and above in China will exceed 400 million, entering a stage of advanced aging, and this fundamental trend is not expected to change.

According to the U.S. KFF State Health Facts, as of July 2025, a total of 14,742 nursing facilities were certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). From July 2015 to July 2025, the number of CMS-certified nursing facilities declined by 6%. During this period, the overall number of nursing facilities showed a steady downward trend.

Current Status of the Elderly Care Service Industry

China's elderly care service industry is undergoing a period of rapid development and structural adjustment. With the continuous expansion of the aging population, by the end of 2025, China's population aged 60 and above will exceed 320 million, accounting for 23% of the total population. Traditional family-based elderly care models are struggling to meet the multi-level and professional needs, leading to the industry's rapid development and structural adjustment. Currently, China's elderly care services are mainly based on "home-based care + community-based care + institutional care," gradually forming a diversified service system. Government policies are continuously promoting the integration of medical and elderly care, long-term care insurance pilot programs, and the standardization of elderly care services, driving the industry's standardized development. Meanwhile, high-end elderly care institutions, rehabilitation nursing, and smart elderly care technologies are growing rapidly, but the certification rate for elderly care workers is only about 58%, far below the 80% level in developed countries, indicating a continued shortage of mid-to-low-end service and nursing personnel. Furthermore, the imbalance between urban and rural development and regional development remains prominent.

In contrast, the overseas elderly care service industry is generally more mature, exhibiting multi-level, professional, and diversified characteristics. In the United States, Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) and Specialized Nursing Homes (SNFs) provide professional daily living care, rehabilitation training, and medical care, and are financially protected through Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI). In Japan, a comprehensive long-term care insurance system supports the parallel development of community-based and institutional care. Home care, day care centers, rehabilitation training, and health monitoring allow seniors to receive care in familiar environments, while nursing homes provide 24/7 professional care for disabled seniors. The industry is highly standardized and professional. In Europe, the systems of community-based and institutional care are well-developed. Home care, day care centers, and nursing homes provide seniors with daily living care, rehabilitation training, and health management services. Most practitioners are professionally qualified, and the services are standardized with mature management systems. Overall, through a professional, standardized, and multi-tiered supply model, comprehensive coverage of seniors with different levels of dependence is achieved, while effectively alleviating the burden of family care.

Global Elderly Care Services Market Size Analysis

According to in-depth research by DIResearch, the global elderly care service market will reach US$394.477 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach US$533.959 billion in 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.42%. The deepening aging population is the core driving force behind the market's expansion, with the global elderly care service market maintaining steady growth. This growth is driven by a combination of factors including population, policy, technology, and demand structure. The profound evolution of population aging is the most fundamental driving force. The continuously rising proportion of the global population aged 65 and above, along with the rapid increase in the number of disabled elderly, directly expands the demand base for core services such as long-term care and health management, providing the underlying impetus for market expansion. Systematic policy support is a key factor. Countries are generally promoting the nationalization of long-term care insurance systems, supporting home and community-based elderly care, and providing special subsidies for smart elderly care. These policies not only improve diversified payment systems and lower the barriers to service consumption but also activate the potential demand in home and community settings through measures such as the construction of home-based elderly care beds, continuously releasing market growth potential.

Source: DIResearch, 2026

Elderly Care Services New Technology and Key Participants

Technological applications have been implemented in specific business scenarios of elderly care services. Among European and American companies, Genesis HealthCare utilizes electronic health records (EHRs) and remote vital sign monitoring to standardize care processes and provide early warnings of health risks; Brookdale Senior Living improves in-hospital safety and care response efficiency through smart mattresses, fall alarms, and mobile nursing devices; Orpea combines IoT devices with a health management platform to monitor seniors' vital signs, medication, and activity trajectories in real time, and optimizes personalized care plans through data analysis. The core of these companies' technological applications lies in the digitization of internal processes, risk monitoring, and data-driven decision-making. Japanese companies such as Nichii Gakkan and Sompo Holdings emphasize the synergy between home and institutional services, achieving continuity and personalization of long-term care through elderly care information systems, remote health monitoring, and intelligent dispatch platforms. Chinese companies focus more on community-based and home-based elderly care scenarios in their technological applications. Taikang Home's smart senior living communities achieve continuity of services both inside and outside the facility through health record management, chronic disease management platforms, and intelligent rehabilitation training equipment; Qinheyuan utilizes smart bracelets and a cloud-based health management platform to establish a traceable and dispatchable community-based senior care network; and Fushoukang achieves a closed loop of in-home care dispatch, process recording, and family notification through a mobile platform. The core objective of applying technology in senior care services is to improve the quality of care, reduce risks, and optimize operations through technology.

Genesis HealthCare

Headquarters: USA

Genesis HealthCare is a large U.S.-based senior care and long-term care service provider, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2003, it primarily provides short-term rehabilitation, professional care, long-term care, and assisted living services to seniors and recovering patients. The company previously operated approximately 175 skilled care facilities and assisted living communities in about 18-25 states across the U.S., serving over 15,000 residents and employing between approximately 27,000 and nearly 70,000 staff, and providing rehabilitation services to thousands of healthcare facilities.

Clariane (Korian)

Headquarters: France

Clariane SE (formerly Korian) is a large European elderly care and healthcare group headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 2001, it has grown into a multinational elderly care and healthcare service operator through long-term acquisitions and expansion, operating in multiple countries including France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. The company employs approximately 70,000 people, operates around 1,220 facilities, and serves over 886,000 residents and patients annually. Its services encompass long-term care, specialist medical care, rehabilitation nursing, shared living solutions, and home care. The group includes multiple brands and service segments such as Korian, Seniors Residencias, Grupo 5, and Ages & Vie, forming a complete care network covering institutional care, post-hospital rehabilitation, and home services. In recent years, the company has focused on advancing its corporate mission and digital transformation, including promoting the digitalization of care processes, establishing digital platforms for employee training, integrating health information systems, and implementing service quality monitoring mechanisms to improve multinational operational efficiency and service quality.

Life Care Centers of America

Headquarters: USA

Life Care Centers of America, one of the largest privately owned long-term care organizations in the United States, is located in Cleveland, Tennessee. Founded in 1970 by Forrest Preston, who served as chairman and CEO for many years, the company operates over 200 skilled nursing, rehabilitation, Alzheimer's care, and senior living communities in 27-28 states, providing a full range of senior health services from short-term rehabilitation and specialized nursing to long-term inpatient care. According to Forbes data, its annual revenue is approximately $3 billion (latest estimate) and it employs approximately 38,000 people. Life Care possesses a large service network and staff in the long-term care field and is a major operator of senior care and rehabilitation services in the United States.

Fushoukang

Headquarters: China

Fushoukang is a leading home-based medical care and community-based elderly care service provider in China, established in 2011 and located in Hongkou District, Shanghai. The company is committed to creating an integrated "Internet + medical care, rehabilitation, and elderly care" service model. Through its self-developed community elderly care service interactive system and information platform, it provides seniors with comprehensive care services covering community-based care, home-based medical care, rehabilitation services, and intelligent health monitoring. Its business network covers more than 50 cities nationwide, with over 400 institutions and medical care sites, including nursing training schools, nursing homes, day care centers, and internet hospitals. It has formed a professional team (doctors, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, caregivers, etc.), serving over 15 million people annually, including disabled, semi-disabled, and chronically ill seniors. The company has approximately 100-500 employees (at the institutional level) and possesses significant market influence in the industry.

Taikang Community

Headquarters: China

Taikang Community is a leading high-end integrated medical and elderly care service brand in China, belonging to Taikang Insurance Group. Established in 2009, it is committed to creating elderly care communities and rehabilitation medical systems that integrate medical and elderly care and provide full-life-cycle care. Its business covers nearly 37 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Hangzhou, with elderly care units capable of accommodating approximately 90,000 seniors and thousands of medical beds, providing a full range of services including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and rehabilitation. With its professional nursing team and high-standard facilities, Taikang Home has a significant influence in the domestic elderly care industry and, through collaboration with the group's insurance and medical businesses, achieves a comprehensive ecosystem of elderly care services, health management, and asset operation.

Policy Environment Analysis of Elderly Care Services

In recent years, China has consistently elevated proactive measures to address population aging to a national strategy, continuously improving its multi-tiered and comprehensive elderly care service policy system. In 2023, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Promoting the Construction of a Basic Elderly Care Service System," clarifying the target beneficiaries, core content, and implementation standards of basic elderly care services, thus establishing a universal safety net framework for the industry's development. 2026 saw a crucial phase of intensive policy implementation, with long-term care insurance officially transitioning from local pilot programs to nationwide implementation. The plan aims to establish an independent social insurance system within approximately three years. Simultaneously, multiple departments are jointly promoting key tasks such as achieving full coverage of 15-minute elderly care service circles and building 5 million home-based elderly care beds within the year. Efforts are being made to continuously increase the proportion of nursing care beds in elderly care institutions, vigorously promoting the deep integration of medical, elderly care, and rehabilitation services, and the large-scale application of smart elderly care technologies. Nursing care policies have been introduced in areas such as financial and tax incentives, land use guarantees for elderly care facilities, and incentives for nursing talent training. Furthermore, national standards for assessing the abilities of the elderly, the safety supervision of elderly care institutions, and the pre-payment fund management system have been improved, comprehensively promoting the upgrading of elderly care services from basic safety net guarantees to high-quality and professional services.

Major aging countries around the world are continuously upgrading their policies related to elderly care services, considering their own population structure and social systems, in order to address the multiple challenges brought about by deep aging. The United States has continuously optimized its market-driven elderly care system. In 2026, it passed the Telemedicine Expansion Act to expand the scope and service scenarios of telemedicine covered by Medicare, while simultaneously increasing the pre-tax deduction for long-term care insurance premiums and allocating special funds to support the digital transformation of elderly care institutions and the application of smart devices. Germany, as a global benchmark for long-term care insurance systems, has been continuously promoting the "Nursing Prevention 2.0" special plan in recent years, investing a large amount of fiscal funds to support elderly prevention and rehabilitation services, providing special subsidies for digital nursing tools and home care apps, and optimizing the five-level disability assessment system, always adhering to a home-based service orientation. To alleviate the severe shortage of nursing staff, Japan significantly increased fiscal subsidies for elderly care smart devices in fiscal year 2026, focusing on supporting the implementation of nursing robots and AI health monitoring devices in institutional and home settings. It also restructured the long-term care service level system and appropriately increased the service guarantee ceiling for severely disabled elderly people. Overall, the policies of various countries focus on three core directions: improving the long-term care security system, enhancing the quality of home and community elderly care services, and using technology to alleviate the manpower shortage.

For details, please refer to the report "Global Ederly Care Service Competitive Landscape Professional Research Report 2026"

Global Key Suppliers of Elderly Care Services Include:

Genesis HealthCare

Clariane (Korian)

Orpea

Life Care Centers of America

Ensign Group

Brookdale Senior Living

DomusVi

Senior Sava Care

Holiday By Atria

Colisée

Nichii Gakkan

Sompo Holdings, Inc

ProMedica Senior Care

Benesse Corporation

Attendo

Barchester Healthcare

Alloheim

Five Star Senior Living

HC-One Ltd

Tsukui Corporation

Maisons de Famille

Gakken Holdings., Ltd

Brickyard Healthcare

Victor’s Group

Four Seasons

Fortune Care

Taikang Community

Lvkang Medical Care

CHERISH-YEARN

Hongshan Sanatoria

Elderly Care Service Product Segment Include:

Institutional Pension Service

Non-Institutional Pension Service

Elderly Care Service Product Application Include:

60-74 Years Old

75-89 Years Old

90+ Years Old