Our Minister of Family and Social Services, Derya Yanık, said: “We aim to offer older persons a model where they receive care support with their families and relatives, and integrate with social life, instead of institutional care services.”

Minister Yanık attended the UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing that was held in Rome, Italy. Delivering a speech at the session titled “Long-Term Care Access and Support for Caregivers and Families”, Minister Yanık stated that the demographic transition is accelerating in Türkiye as well as in Europe and the world. Minister Yanık said: "As in the world, in Türkiye, life expectancy has increased and the birth rate has decreased in recent years, depending on health, social services and technological developments."

Stating that Türkiye is ageing rapidly, Minister Yanık said, "The rate of the older population increased from 7.2 percent in 2000 to 9.7 percent at the end of 2021. The proportion of the older population has increased by 24 percent in the last five years. As of 2021, the average life expectancy at birth is 78 years, while the median age is 33.1 in 2021. The proportion of the older population is expected to continue its upward trend and within 60 years, one in four people is expected to be 65 years or older. In this direction, our long-term care approach has been structured based on our current demographic structure, taking into account future population projections.”

Noting that the demographic transition process that Türkiye is going through has led to the revision of policies and services related to ageing in recent years, Minister Yanık said:

“The main purpose of long-term care services for older persons in Türkiye is to facilitate the transition to physical, mental and psycho-social changes in old age. In this context, our care policies aim to offer a model in which individuals receive care support with their families and relatives and integrate into social life, rather than institutional care services, by accepting ageing in place and the right to self-determination as a right.”

Minister Yanık stated that they aim to increase the independent living skills of older persons and to support them to lead a quality life.

“Our care policies consider older persons and their environment as a whole”

Informing that psycho-social support and care services do not only cover older persons, but also their caregivers and family members, Minister Yanık said, “Our care policies consider older persons and their environment as a whole.” 

Noting that the care services for older persons in Türkiye are planned based on the demand, Minister Yanık said, "About half of the older persons benefit from long-term care services free of charge, while the other half benefit with a partial fee depending on their income. It is planned on the basis of supply and rights, taking regional density into account." 

We developed the “Quality Standards for Care Services”

Stating that when families or caregivers are unable to provide temporary care, they also offer respite care services free of charge, Minister Yanık said:

“Older persons can receive care services from nursing homes for up to 45 days a year. As long as they receive services in nursing homes, all their needs are met by the care institution. We have developed the " Quality Standards for Care Services" to increase the quality of long-term care system. These standards have been prepared with a rights-based and person-centred approach, taking into account the privacy and safety of older persons, and the satisfaction of care recipients and caregivers. In addition, there are a number of practices that promote the autonomy of older persons and their participation in society, including their social relationships with family and friends. In this context, in addition to long-term institutional care, home care support services, home healthcare services, home care allowance, day care services, consultancy services, old-age pension, in-kind and cash benefits, assistive support technologies, tax exemptions and free or discounted transportation are offered by the State.”

Referring to the studies conducted in her speech, Minister Yanık said, “Recent studies show that, due to the cultural and social structure in Türkiye, older persons want to be taken care of by their family members, and younger generations want to take care of their older family members themselves.”

In this respect, Minister Yanık stated that they both support families and encourage solidarity among family members with Home Care Allowance and stated that they make monthly payments to family members who provide care to persons with disabilities and older persons who are in need of care and are in economic and social deprivation.

“We have implemented Support Program for Older Persons”

Stating that they also provide support services for day and home care in coordination with municipalities, Minister Yanık said, "We have implemented the Support Program for Older Persons (YADES) since 2016 in order to support, strengthen, standardize and expand the services of local governments for older persons. This program is a project-based support program that aims to raise awareness on ageing by activating local dynamics in order to support older persons in their own home environment and prevent their isolation from social life."

Minister Yanık said that in addition to different care services, they also provide social assitance such as old-age pensions.

Emphasizing that they are carrying out projects for the dissemination and strengthening of community-based care services, Minister Yanık said, "In this context, we are carrying out the Project for the Improvement of Day Care and Home Care Services for Older Persons."

Minister Yanık, stating that in line with the national ageing policy, they aim to develop long-term care services to meet the diverse and changing needs of the population, said: “We attach great importance to the life cycle approach, which considers both social and individual ageing at the same time and evaluates older persons not only as an individual but as a whole with their past, capacity and environment.”