Intermediate Care For The Aged And Its Develpoment

According to statistics,the elderly population will increase globally 3 times from now to 2050,reaching 2 billion.With the changing of population structure,the deepening of aging,and people's requirements for the continuous improvement of the quality of life and health,the acute medical systems are facing shortage of medical facilities and medical staffs and the problem of its treatment of limited or single diseases has become increasingly prominent.At the same time,iatrogenic injury of the elderly with long-term hospitalization,such as the occurrence of sarcopenia,the weakening and the acceleration of disability,has been paid more and more attention.Therefore,in order to alleviate the pressure of the acute medical systems,to improve the health status of the elderly and to deal with the complexity of the health needs of the elderly,a new model of care,that is,intermediate care has gradually developed.With the intermediate care,patients can discharge timely and don't need to stay at the long-term care institutions,besides,some unnecessary readmission were effectively avoided.This review summarized the definition of intermediate care and its related characteristics and procedures,including some suggestions for the development of intermediate care in China,which can provide a basis for further research on intermediate care and health policy making.