Aging population as a challenge for the Polish healthcare and social welfare system

Abstract

The article attempts to identify the effects of population aging on the Polish health care and social welfare system. Possible directions of actions that can improve the efficiency and availability of these services in the coming years are indicated.

Population aging has numerous consequences, especially important for the social security system, including health care and social assistance. As the number of elderly people increases, expenditures on medical and social benefits and long-term care are rising. Already today there are difficulties in accessing health services - long queues to specialists and limited availability of services are a daily reality for many patients. These problems are likely to intensify in the future, especially in the context of increased demand for geriatricians, rehabilitation specialists and nursing staff. For this reason, it is worth considering the introduction of mandatory nursing insurance, which could support the financing of long-term care for seniors. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that projections for future retirement benefits indicate their low level, which could limit the financial capacity of the elderly. Therefore, it becomes crucial to promote healthy lifestyles and preventive health care earlier in life in order to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and reduce the burden on health care and social assistance systems in the future.