Middle East and Africa Geriatric care service Market Outlook, 2030

The origin of geriatric care in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) can be linked to traditional family-based support networks and charitable healthcare programs that are based on religious and cultural principles. Traditionally, religious organizations and endowments, especially in Muslim and Christian communities, offered informal senior care in the MEA inside families. However, following World War II, MEA nations started to conform to international healthcare standards as global healthcare trends changed and life expectancy rose.

In the late 20th century, nations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and South Africa started formal elderly care systems, moving away from purely charitable models and toward organized geriatric healthcare facilities, influenced by aging trends in Europe and North America. Recognizing the increasing burden of chronic diseases in aging populations across the MEA, this change was further driven by partnerships with international NGOs, UN organizations, and healthcare practitioners that focused on integrating elderly care into national health systems. Due to evident healthcare gaps, geriatric care has become essential in rural MEA.

Many distant areas struggle with inadequate funding for their health infrastructure, restricted access to specialized medical staff, and logistical difficulties in delivering regular care for the elderly. By concentrating on community health workers, mobile clinics, and telemedicine-supported treatments, geriatric care fills these gaps and successfully delivers healthcare to older persons in locations where traditional hospitals are not accessible. Religious charities have traditionally been at the forefront of offering essential elder care, including housing, meals, and fundamental medical assistance, especially in disadvantaged rural areas.

In reality, current geriatric treatment addresses the difficulties in providing care for the elderly through a multifaceted strategy that includes using telehealth for consultations, sending out mobile medical teams, and educating local caregivers about the demands of geriatrics. The elderly in rural MEA areas are guaranteed preventative and chronic care management via this decentralized care approach. Geriatric care improves the well-being of the elderly, lowers the number of avoidable hospitalizations, and closes the gaps in healthcare access between urban and rural areas in the MEA region.

According to the research report, "Middle East and Africa Geriatric Care Market Outlook, 2030," the Middle East and Africa Geriatric Care market is anticipated to grow at more than 7.35% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. The rising elderly population, the rising frequency of chronic illnesses, and proactive government measures in many MEA nations aimed at improving the infrastructure for senior care are all factors contributing to this expansion. As part of larger national healthcare transformation initiatives, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, notably Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are making substantial investments in senior healthcare.

These include programs that prioritize the integration of elderly care into primary healthcare systems and community-based services, such as the UAE's National Policy for Senior Emiratis and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 health sector reforms. Recent healthcare programs in the area have included the establishment of specialized geriatric clinics, greater investment in telemedicine platforms, and home care programs tailored to the needs of the elderly. For instance, Saudi Arabia has increased the availability of long-term care services in both public hospitals and private care facilities.

To improve the quality of life for its senior citizens, the UAE has established home-based elderly care programs that make use of intelligent health monitoring equipment. Major providers of geriatric care services in the Middle East, such as Mediclinic International, VPS Healthcare, NMC Health, and Aster DM Healthcare, offer services like specialized dementia care, rehabilitation, chronic illness management, and home healthcare. In Gulf nations, medical tourism is becoming a major opportunity for geriatric care.

Patients from neighboring countries are drawn to countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for specialized senior healthcare treatments, which combine top-notch medical facilities with hospitality services. Furthermore, the MEA market benefits from implementing international healthcare standards and certifications, which enhance the quality of care, establish international trust, and entice elderly patients from other regions looking for reliable, cost-effective, long-term care options.

Market Drivers

• Rapid Urbanization and Lifestyle Changes: The MEA area, notably the Gulf nations, is experiencing a fast rate of urbanization. Traditional family-based elder care is becoming less common as families become more nuclear and urban lifestyles become more prevalent. This change is fueling demand for formal geriatric care services, such as residential facilities, specialized clinics, and in-home care programs for the elderly.
• National Healthcare Reforms and Plans: As part of larger healthcare changes, the governments of the MEA area, notably Saudi Arabia (Vision 2030) and the United Arab Emirates, are focusing on the treatment of the elderly. Examples of initiatives are providing subsidies for elderly home care, extending long-term care insurance, and establishing age-friendly hospitals. These strategies encourage foreign investment in senior care as well as public-private collaborations.

Market Challenges

• Inadequate Trained Geriatric Workforce: Healthcare workers in MEA countries are frequently underprepared to handle geriatrics, despite the increasing demand. The shortage of geriatricians, physical therapists, and caregivers makes it difficult to provide uniform, high-quality treatment. It is still challenging to meet complicated older healthcare needs, especially in rural regions, due to the lack of organized geriatric departments in many medical facilities.
• Socio-Cultural Obstacles to Formal Care: In some regions of the Middle East, cultural traditions favor family-based care for the elderly, even in the absence of resources, and discourage outsourcing it to professional providers. This cultural reluctance slows the uptake of professional services, particularly in conservative areas. Community involvement and public awareness efforts highlighting the advantages of specialized care are necessary to overcome this.

Market Trends

• The Rise of Telemedicine and Digital Health Platforms:Telehealth platforms are revolutionizing access to geriatric care in MEA, especially for distant consultations. Digital solutions allow seniors to get medical guidance from experts in areas with little healthcare infrastructure. Integration with wearable devices for chronic disease monitoring is improving preventative and individualized elderly care.
• Development of Senior Wellness and Retirement Communities: In Gulf nations, high-end retirement homes and wellness facilities providing medical oversight and lifestyle facilities are springing up. These facilities cater to wealthy older people who want independent living with medical safety nets. The elderly care sector in the MEA market is undergoing a transition from providing just medical treatment to addressing overall wellness.

Due to cultural preferences for family-centered treatment and a growing need for inexpensive, tailored elderly care options, home care is the biggest industry in the MEA geriatric care market.

Driven largely by strong cultural traditions that place family responsibility for elderly members, home care has become the largest sector in the geriatric care industry in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). In nations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and South Africa, families choose to care for aging parents and relatives in their own homes in accordance with firmly established cultural norms and religious principles that support family caregiving. The comparatively high prices and limited availability of institutional treatment facilities, such as nursing homes or specialized elderly hospitals, further support this cultural trend.

Families are increasingly looking for formal home care services, such as nursing, physical therapy, palliative care, and aid with daily living activities, to help their aging loved ones in the comfort of their own homes as older populations increase as a result of better healthcare standards and longer life expectancy. The growth of nuclear family arrangements and greater workforce participation, particularly among women, have made expert home care services essential in metropolitan regions. As demonstrated by Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, governments throughout the MEA are acknowledging this need and promoting home care frameworks via national aging plans and health reforms.

The expanding accessibility of telehealth and remote monitoring technologies enables healthcare professionals to offer routine medical check-ups and chronic disease management directly to the homes of older persons. For both families and healthcare systems, this makes home care a practical and affordable choice. The alleviating strain on the area's already overloaded hospital infrastructure, geriatric care provided at home is also beneficial. The need for structured, high-quality home care in the MEA geriatric care market is anticipated to remain at the forefront as public knowledge of professional caregiving services increases and urban populations continue to increase. This ongoing growth is fueled by both cultural fit and healthcare need.

The MEA geriatric care sector is dominated by the private sector, which is also expanding at the quickest rate. This is because of rising investments, adaptable care models, and the capacity to meet the high demand for individualized elderly care that public healthcare systems are unable to satisfy.

The private sector is becoming more and more the driving force behind the geriatric care industry in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), making it the biggest and fastest-expanding service delivery sector in the area. A major factor contributing to this dominance is the significant inflow of funding from both domestic business owners and global healthcare firms. In many MEA nations, the elderly are frequently given lesser priority in government priorities because public healthcare systems are frequently overburdened with treating infectious diseases, providing maternal care, and offering emergency services.

The substantial gap in services provided by the public sector creates significant chances for private businesses to enter and meet the specific requirements of aging communities. The flexibility of private providers in the MEA geriatric care industry to offer services that meet the demands of the region's varied cultural, religious, and socioeconomic groups has also contributed to their success. Exclusive features that distinguish private sector participation include high-end retirement communities, specialized memory care centers, and customized home care services.

Furthermore, wealthy families in Gulf countries are increasingly choosing private facilities due to the individualized, premium, and culturally aware senior care services they provide in contrast to overburdened public institutions. Private healthcare organizations like NMC Health in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi German Health are extending their geriatric care divisions and implementing full at-home nursing, dementia care, and palliative care services. Overseas private care providers in Europe and Asia are forming alliances with local players in order to create cutting-edge infrastructure for the care of the elderly.

The private sector's foothold continues to grow as a result of the increasing preference for paid care and the growing acceptance of outsourcing eldercare duties. Private institutions are also utilizing advancements like telehealth and smart monitoring systems to make their services more appealing and efficient for today's urban families. When taken together, these elements account for the dominance of private companies in the expansion of geriatric care in the MEA.

The fastest-growing payment source in the MEA geriatric care market is private insurance because there is limited public healthcare coverage for long-term geriatric care, an increase in middle-class wealth, and an increase in the availability of specialized elderly care plans.

The fastest-growing payment source in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) geriatric care market is now private insurance, which is being fueled by changes in demographics, economic development, and the rising need for specialized senior care services. In the past, the care of the elderly in the area was mostly a family duty, frequently informal and without formal insurance protection. The demand for expert geriatric care services has increased, especially among the middle- and high-income groups who can afford and like official care arrangements, as a result of shifting family dynamics, urbanization, and increased life expectancy.

The majority of MEA nations have government healthcare systems that place a greater emphasis on acute and preventative care than on the long-term geriatric needs of the elderly. Particularly in cases involving dementia, mobility support, or palliative care, public coverage for the care of the elderly is frequently inadequate. The increase in private insurance products designed specifically for elderly care has been driven by this gap. Insurance providers are launching complete plans for the elderly that include home nursing, assisted living, rehabilitation, and chronic illness management in recognition of the regional demographic change.

Backed by government incentives to grow the private insurance industry, insurers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia are at the forefront of this effort. Many expatriate families living in Gulf nations choose private insurance for their aging relatives in order to have access to high-quality care facilities without depending only on government programs.

The appeal of private insurance is growing thanks to innovations like bundled insurance products that include remote monitoring, telemedicine services, and housing that is catered to the needs of the elderly. Partnerships between insurers and private care providers are helping to improve claim procedures and expand coverage options. Private insurance is becoming the fastest-growing payment channel for eldercare throughout the MEA area as a result of this expanding ecosystem of specialized geriatric care services and private insurance options.

Due to rising life expectancy, proactive health-seeking behavior, and an increasing focus on preventive and early intervention services for chronic diseases, the 65-75 (early care) age group is the largest in the MEA geriatric care industry.

The 65-75 age group, often known as the "early care" sector, makes up the majority of the need for geriatric care in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). This dominance is mostly the result of demographic changes, such as higher life expectancy, better access to healthcare, and a cultural change in favor of taking charge of one's health. In many MEA nations, improvements in public health systems, immunization campaigns, and infectious disease management have led to longer lives, with an increasing proportion of the population now in their mid-60s and in need of preventative and supportive care services.

The 65-75 age range is a crucial stage in aging because it is when people typically start to experience the onset of chronic, non-infectious illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and the beginning stages of arthritis. Early intervention through geriatric care programs enables more effective management of these conditions, preventing complications that would otherwise necessitate more intensive treatment at a later stage. Consequently, both public and private healthcare providers in MEA are increasingly prioritizing programs and facilities designed to meet the needs of this somewhat active but health-vulnerable demographic. This tendency has been exacerbated by increasing urbanization throughout the MEA area.

In this age range, a lot of people reside in fast-growing cities where access to private clinics, wellness centers, and diagnostic services is becoming more and more prevalent. Furthermore, nations like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are combining geriatric care with programs aimed at preventing chronic diseases in this population. Insurance companies and private hospitals are increasingly promoting geriatric services not just as elderly care but as preventative wellness programs, encouraging people in their 60s to interact with care services before significant age-related health decline starts. With this plan, the 65-75 age range has become the biggest and most economically important demographic in MEA's growing geriatric care industry.

Increasing longevity, higher diagnosis rates, and greater public awareness of cognitive health issues among aging populations, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are the biggest and fastest-growing applications in the MEA geriatric care market.

Alzheimer's disease and other dementias have become the biggest and fastest-growing application sector in the geriatric care sector in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The demographic aging trend that is happening in many MEA countries, notably in the wealthier Gulf states and some areas of North Africa, is directly related to this increase. The prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases naturally rises with increasing lifespan. Due to cultural stigma, dementia was historically underdiagnosed in this area, frequently mistaken for normal aging, or kept as a family secret.

However, the number of formal diagnoses and specialized care programs has increased in recent years due to awareness campaigns, international cooperation, and advancements in the healthcare system. This change has been greatly influenced by urbanization and evolving family arrangements. Due to the shift from extended family life arrangements to nuclear families in many MEA cities, it is challenging for working-age family members to offer full-time supervision and care for elders who have cognitive deficits. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the need for skilled memory care facilities, adult day programs, and dementia care at home.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia have begun to invest in specialized Alzheimer's treatment centers, while NGOs in locations like North Africa are working with foreign groups to provide dementia care training to healthcare professionals. The simultaneous increase in chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses, which are risk factors for vascular dementia, is another contributing factor. To address these complicated, overlapping illnesses, healthcare systems are beginning to combine geriatric and neurological care.

Furthermore, tech firms are releasing cognitive training apps and telemedicine solutions that assist families in handling dementia in their homes, particularly in underserved or isolated regions. Alzheimer's and dementias are expected to continue to be the major and fastest increasing focus of geriatric care throughout the MEA market as diagnostics improve and life expectancy increases.

With significant investments in elderly care infrastructure and services and healthcare diversification driven by Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is the leader in the MEA geriatric care market.

With its ambitious Vision 2030 framework, which prioritizes healthcare reform and diversification, Saudi Arabia has become the dominant force in the MEA geriatric care market. In light of the increasing elderly population brought about by advances in life expectancy and living standards, the Saudi government has pledged to create specialized healthcare services for the elderly. One of the remarkable aspects of Vision 2030 is its focus on privatization and collaboration between the government and the commercial sector, which will result in novel chronic disease management programs, rehabilitation centers, and elderly care facilities that are suited to the needs of an aging population.

In contrast to some areas of the MEA where senior care is still informal and reliant on families, Saudi Arabia's government-led strategy has organized the provision of geriatric care. The Ministry of Health has developed national elderly health programs that emphasize preventative screenings, cognitive assessments, and clinical pathways that are tailored to the needs of the elderly. This proactive strategy has resulted in partnerships with international healthcare groups to deliver cutting-edge geriatric training to local doctors.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has the financial resources and technological infrastructure to investigate novel eldercare solutions, such as telehealth services, robotics, and AI-enabled home monitoring systems, all of which are geared toward treating chronic diseases that are prevalent among the elderly, like diabetes and cardiovascular problems. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is owned by the government, has also funded projects that integrate elder care with overall urban development and ensure accessibility in residential designs. Societal attitudes toward elder care are gradually changing as cultural changes lead more families to choose hybrid or professional care models. By combining top-down investment, modernization, and social acceptance, Saudi Arabia has established itself as the leader in geriatric care development in the MEA area, serving as a model for its neighbors.

Considered in this report

• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report

• Geriatric Care Service Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Service

• Home care
• Adult day care
• Institutional care

By Age Group

• 65-75 (early care)
• 76-85 (mid-to-heavy care)
• 86+ (intensive care)

By Application

• High blood pressure
• Alzheimer's/dementias
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Other applications

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases.

After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to this industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.