Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities Global Market Report 2020-30: COVID-19 Growth and Change

Major players in the services for the elderly and persons with disabilities market are CK Franchising Inc., Right at Home Inc., Home Instead Inc., Living Assistance Services and Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

The global services for the elderly and persons with disabilities market is expected to grow from $369.4 billion in 2019 to $390 billion in 2020 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%. The growth has slowed down mainly due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of industries and other commercial activities resulting in operational challenges. The entire supply chain has been disrupted, impacting the market negatively. The market is then expected to recover and reach $520.9 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 10.12%.

The services for the elderly and persons with disabilities market consists of the revenues from elder and disabled people services by entities that provide social assistance services to improve the quality of life for the elderly, persons diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or persons with physical disabilities.

North America was the largest region in the services for the elderly and persons with disabilities market in 2019. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.

In September 2020, Elderday Centre, a US-based non-profit adult daycare program, merged with Seniors Helping Seniors® Fox Valley, a US-based non-medical provider of in-home care services for seniors. This merger is expected to meet the needs of seniors who require special attention whether in a day-care community or at home.

The services for the elderly and persons with disabilities market covered in this report is segmented by service type into institutional care; adult day-care; home care. It is also segmented by service provider into public expenditure; private expenditure; out-of-pocket spending and by end-user into elderly; disabled adults.

Elder abuse in centers that provide services for the elderly and persons with disabilities are expected to hamper the market. Elder abuse is increasing in the institutions that provide care to the elderly. According to the report released by the World Health Organization in June 2020, about 2 in 3 staff working in institutions such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities have reported that they have committed abuse in the previous year. Elder abuse can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences. The high abuse rate among elders in the care settings, therefore, creates a state of fear for the elders and their loved ones opting for these services, which leads to a decision of not opting for these services, thereby, hindering the market.

Many companies across the globe are using robots to smoothen the transition of providing care facilities to elderly patients. For instance, Bright Cape, an Eindhoven-based company, has developed SARA, which stands for social and autonomous robotic health assistant. The project is part of the European EIT Digital Innovation Consortium and aims to reduce the workload in healthcare and to improve the quality of treatment in general. Japan is installing robots in nursing homes, workplaces and schools as its population ages and labor force decline.

The decreasing household size coupled with a rapidly aging population is anticipated to aid in the growth of the services for the elderly and persons with disabilities market. The decline in household size is attributed to the reduced number of people living as a family. For instance, according to the census bureau estimates, the average household size in the United States was 2.52 people in 2019, down a quarter from the baby boom-era average of 3.36. One-person households account for 28.4% of the US total in 2019, up from 13.1% in 1960. Also, the surge in the aging population is generating higher demand for services for elderly people, thereby propelling the revenues of the market. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ report published on World Population Ageing 2019, there were 703 million persons aged 65 years and above in 2019 and this number is likely to double to 1.5 billion people by 2050. In addition to this, the number of people aged 80 years and older is projected to increase from 143 million in 2019 to 426 million by the end of 2050. The need for care of the aging population creates a demand for services for the elderly and disabled, which, in turn, drives the market.