Long-Term Care Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Long-Term Care Market is projected to expand from USD 1.23 Trillion in 2025 to USD 1.83 Trillion by 2031, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 6.81%. Long-term care involves a wide spectrum of medical and non-medical support tailored for individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities who cannot manage daily activities on their own. The market is primarily propelled by a rapidly aging global population and a rising incidence of chronic conditions, both of which require ongoing professional assistance and specialized residential facilities, thereby generating a steady and growing demand for care infrastructure that exceeds short-term medical solutions.

Conversely, the market encounters significant obstacles due to a critical shortage of qualified staff, which hampers operational capabilities and limits expansion. This lack of workforce prevents providers from accepting new patients, even amidst high service demand. According to the American Health Care Association's 2024 data, 46% of nursing homes were compelled to restrict new admissions because of severe labor shortages. Consequently, this disparity between the availability of services and patient necessities continues to be a major hindrance to broader market development.

Market Drivers

The primary structural catalyst for the Global Long-Term Care Market is the rapid growth of the elderly population combined with the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. As life expectancy rises, more individuals are reaching ages where conditions such as dementia and age-related disabilities necessitate continuous professional supervision. This demographic evolution compels a shift from episodic, acute care to long-term support models, drastically boosting utilization rates for both home-based services and residential facilities. According to the Alzheimer's Association's '2024 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures' report from March 2024, approximately 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia, highlighting the growing necessity for specialized care infrastructure.

Simultaneously, advancements in remote monitoring, telehealth, and smart care technologies are transforming market operations by improving care delivery efficiency and facilitating aging-in-place strategies. These technologies are essential for alleviating workforce shortages as they automate routine monitoring and enable providers to oversee larger patient groups without risking safety. Healthcare leaders are actively adopting these digital tools to refine resource allocation; for instance, the 'Future Health Index 2024' report by Philips in June 2024 notes that 85% of healthcare leaders are investing or plan to invest in generative AI to enhance clinical decision support and workflows. This technological evolution parallels significant financial growth, with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projecting in their June 2024 'National Health Expenditure 2023-2032' report that national health spending will rise by an annual average of 5.6%, emphasizing the increasing economic burden of these care requirements.

Market Challenges

A critical structural barrier hindering the Global Long-Term Care Market is the severe shortage of qualified personnel. This workforce deficit directly limits operational capacity because providers cannot maintain the mandatory staff-to-patient ratios necessary for safety standards. As a result, facilities are often forced to freeze bed availability or curtail their range of services, effectively capping their revenue potential despite the increasing volume of patients seeking assistance.

This shortage further compromises financial sustainability, as providers frequently rely on costly temporary labor to meet minimum staffing requirements, significantly driving up operating expenses. The resulting erosion of profit margins creates an unstable environment that deters capital investment and new market entry. According to the American Health Care Association in 2024, over 66 percent of nursing home facilities expressed concerns regarding potential closure if these workforce issues continue. Such instability threatens to physically reduce the market's infrastructure, preventing the supply side from scaling adequately to meet rising global demand.

Market Trends

The transition toward home-based care and aging-in-place models is fundamentally transforming the service delivery landscape, fueled by strong consumer preference for non-institutional environments over traditional facilities. This shift is altering the market's economic structure, as the rising demand for in-home support necessitates a reevaluation of resource distribution and service valuations. Moving care to the home generates acute supply pressures, leading to substantial cost hikes for personal assistance as providers struggle to scale workforces for decentralized needs. According to the '2024 Cost of Care Survey' by Genworth Financial in March 2025, the median annual cost of homemaker services rose by 10% to $75,504, illustrating the growing financial burden associated with this structural change in care consumption.

Additionally, the deployment of assistive robotics to aid caregiver tasks marks a critical evolution in operational support, advancing beyond digital monitoring to the automation of logistical and physical workflows. Unlike passive sensor systems, active robotic solutions are being implemented to assist with physically demanding tasks, thereby alleviating strain on human staff and ensuring strict adherence to care protocols. This adoption offers measurable clinical advantages by maintaining high standards of patient attention even during staffing fluctuations. According to the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's 'Fact of the Week: Robot Adoption in Nursing Homes' report from November 2024, facilities utilizing robotic systems lowered the incidence of pressure ulcers among residents by 26%, proving the direct impact of physical automation on the quality of long-term care.

Key Players Profiled in the Long-Term Care Market

• Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
• Sunrise Senior Living (Red Fox Holding Corporation)
• Kindred Healthcare (Knight Health Holdings, LLC)
• Genesis Healthcare, Inc.
• Extendicare Inc.
• Capital Senior Living Corporation
• Diversicare Healthcare Services, Inc.
• Home Instead, Inc.
• Senior Care Centers, LLC
• Atria Senior Living, Inc.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Long-Term Care Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Long-Term Care Market, by Service:

• Home healthcare
• Hospice & Palliative Care
• Nursing care
• Assisted living facilities
• Others

Long-Term Care Market, by Payer:

• Public
• Private
• Out of Pocket

Long-Term Care Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Long-Term Care Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.