고령화 사회의 체계적 노인수발 방안 - 독일의 사례를 중심으로 -

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study is to examine the German experience of long-term care from which we can learn some lessons to develop care insurance for the Korean elderly. In Germany the basic framework of social policy for elderly has emphasized the personal care to maintain autonomous life in an old age. Like other western countries, German elders prefer to stay in their own homes and, if necessary want to be cared by their family members or relatives instead of moving into the institutions. Thus the aging policy is to keep the elderly persons at home providing various community support and home care services to prevent them from institutionalization. Care insurance of Germany is inclusive to serve both the elderly and the non-aged as well, though the majority of customers are the elderly people, the older members of care insurance receive regularly either the money or a service based on their assessed needs measured by a term of professional experts in gerontology. Healthy elders are also covered by the care insurance to make use of social and leisure activities and keep an active and satisfying life in later years. Some of the additional benefits are the subsidy for rebuilding or redecorating house and a help-line service for the elderly. It has been six years since the inception of care insurance in Germany. However, some issues regarding care insurance are still remain to be resolved to assure the quality of service provided by the family or relative care givers and share the financial burden by both public and private sectors. The number and care needs of elderly population in Korea are increasing rapidly, for which we need to develop long-term care policy and programs. German experience of care insurance can give us some ideas, methods and guidance in forming proper care system for the elderly in Korea.