Russia: Only 11% of older and disabled people have access to long-term care
Only 11% of older people and those with disabilities have access to long-term care services
21.07.2026
Article published on the ASI website
According to national development targets, this figure is expected to rise to 30% by 2030 and affect 500,000 people.
The newspaper Vedomosti reported Ministry of Labour data that show that only 184,000 elderly and disabled people are currently covered by the long-term care scheme in Russia (11% of those in need). The previous year’s figure was 10.5%.
Coverage is growing slowly but the problem is being exacerbated by demographic trends. The Ministry forecasts that a quarter of Russia’s population will be over 60 years of age by 2030. However, a number of factors are hindering the rapid expansion of the programme:
- Geography and general awareness: Lyudmila Ivanova-Shvets, Associate Professor at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, said that the low figures are as a result of a lack of public awareness of the scheme and the inaccessibility of remote communities. She proposes establishing a temporary, 24-hour inpatient facility in order to give relatives the chance of having a break;
- Staff shortages and salaries: Professor Alexander Safonov at the Financial University and Yulia Kovalenko, Deputy Head of the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, pointed to low salaries paid to social workers due to regional budget constraints;
- Quality of information gathering: Experts also highlighted the vagueness of the qualifying criteria – take-up statistics include some cases where a person receives a food delivery only once, even though he/she requires on-going comprehensive support.
The long-term care system is being implemented as part of the federal “Older Generation” project (the national “Family” programme). Of its total budget of 362 billion roubles, 307 billion have been set aside specifically for the provision of care. The system combines medical, social and rehabilitation services for people who have partially or completely lost the ability to look after themselves.
Social workers assess the required level of need, taking into account an individual’s state of health, their living conditions and environment. The guaranteed social care package includes help with preparing and eating meals, personal hygiene and dressing, support with general mobility and to ensure they are following their doctor’s orders.
