The need for family care in Ireland could double by 2040, driven by population ageing, according to new research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). This is because Ireland’s ‘baby boomers’ who were born mainly in the 1960s and 1970s when families with four children were still common, are all ageing together, and people are living longer. In addition, the birth rate has fallen to 1.5, meaning there will be far more retired people than children in the years ahead.
In 2022, an estimated 123,802 people aged 50 and over received family care. This number is projected to increase by 49 to 58 per cent by 2040.
If people not currently in receipt of care but experiencing difficulties with basic personal care or carrying out tasks needed for independent living are included, then the projected number of people requiring care would more than double.
Population ageing is the main driver of the projected increases in care need, followed by population growth. Assumptions about healthy ageing could offset some of the projected increase but not remove the underlying pressure from population ageing.
