Chile faces rapid population aging and growing elderly care needs

Data from the 2024 Census confirms that Chile is experiencing rapid demographic aging, with more elderly individuals than children under the age of 15. Currently, over 3.6 million people in the country are aged 60 or older, representing 19.8% of the population. Notably, approximately 593,000 people are aged 80 or older, and 54% of that specific group lives with a disability.

The aging trend presents significant logistical challenges, as there are roughly 288,000 elderly people with severe dependency but only about 20,000 available places in long-term care facilities (ELEAM). This gap has driven a search for alternatives to residential care, such as home-based assistance models. In the Chiloé province, local health services have implemented programs like the 'Más Adultos Mayores Autovalentes' initiative, which has conducted nearly 3,000 workshops to promote physical and cognitive autonomy among seniors.