Walk down any neighbourhood in Athens or Thessaloniki, and you’ll notice a quiet but undeniable shift: more elderly residents, busier families, and a growing need for professional care. It’s not just demographics — it’s about changing lifestyles, shrinking households, and families seeking reliable support for their loved ones.
Understanding why elderly care demand is rising isn’t just interesting — it’s essential for anyone thinking about a career in caregiving, planning family support, or even investing in healthcare services.
In this blog , we unpack the real factors driving this trend, backed by data, observations, and industry insights, so you get a clear picture of the opportunities and challenges shaping elderly care in Greece today.
Even professional caregivers and healthcare providers are feeling the pressure. Some older people need support with daily tasks, companionship, or specialised care, and family members doing this on their own can experience stress or fatigue.
This is what we mean by the rising elderly care demand. More seniors need home care, long-term support, and help with daily activities — not because ageing is a problem, but because everyone deserves the care, respect, and attention to enjoy a full, healthy life.
Let’s see why the demand for elderly care is rising in Greece.
Growing Elderly Care Demand: What’s Driving It in Greece
Ageing Population and Rising Life Expectancy
- As of 2024, roughly 23.3% of Greece’s population is aged 65+.
- Life expectancy is high: women live into their mid-80s on average; male life expectancy is less but steadily rising.
- With more people enjoying longer, healthier lives, many will benefit from additional support to stay independent and active — including help for conditions like dementia, mobility challenges, or chronic illnesses
Shrinking Workforce & Fewer Younger Caregivers
- The working age group (20-64) is projected to decline significantly by 2050, while the share of 65+ will rise sharply.
- With fewer family caregivers available — due to urban migration, smaller family sizes, family members working outside the home — demand for on-demand elderly care and professional home care services increases.
Limited Long-Term Care Infrastructure
- Greece has very few long-term care beds: about 20 beds per 100,000 people, among the lowest in the EU.
- Formal care services are still limited. There are 859 ‘Help at Home’ programs that support around 70,600 older people, but this is not enough to meet the growing need.
Family caregivers Under Pressure
- About 34% of Greeks — over 3.6 million people — provide weekly care for older adults or children. Most of these caregivers are family members, and many are women
- These family caregivers take on a lot — emotionally, physically, and financially. With more seniors needing help, it’s becoming harder for them to manage everything on their own.
What the Numbers Tell Us: Quantifying Elderly Care Needs
Levels of Care Demand: Minor, Major, Severe
According to a World Bank / Greek study:
- ~68% of those aged 65+ had no care needs in 2017.
- ~22% had minor aged care needs (e.g. help with a few activities).
- ~4.4% had major care needs (difficulty with Activities of Daily Living – ADLs).
- ~5.6% had severe care needs (multiple ADL limitations).
Care Hours & Caregiver Shortages
In Greece, there is a big need for caregivers to help older adults. Experts estimate that it would take about 187,000 full-time caregivers to provide enough care for all seniors, including both professional caregivers and family members.
Every month, seniors who need support require a total of 34 million hours of care. This care is divided into different types of help:
- 12.7 million hours for personal care (like bathing, dressing, or getting around)
- 15.9 million hours for household chores (like cooking, cleaning, or shopping)
- 5.7 million hours for social activities (like companionship, going out, or hobbies)
In short, a lot of help is needed every day, and there aren’t enough caregivers to cover all these hours, which is why caregiver shortages are a big concern.
Regional Variations in Elderly Care Needs and Severity
- Older adults aged 80 and above, and those living in areas with fewer care facilities, often need the most support
- Women, people living alone, and those with lower income or education are more likely to need extra care
Effects & Consequences of Rising Elderly Care Demand
Strain on Families from Rising Elderly Care Demand
Families often step in, but it can be exhausting. Caregivers may feel stressed, lose income if they cut back on work, and face mental and emotional strain
Pressure on Public Services & Healthcare System
When there aren’t enough long-term care facilities or home care services, some older people end up in hospitals even if they don’t need medical treatment. This can crowd hospitals and make it harder to care for patients with urgent medical needs.
Older adults (65+) already use a large portion of Greece’s healthcare budget. Right now, they account for about 57% of health spending, and this is expected to rise to around 70% by 2050.
The rising number of seniors needing care puts extra pressure on both public services and healthcare funding.
Economic Impacts of Growing Elderly Care Demand
- Higher demand for elderly care services means more public spending, higher costs for households, and a growing elderly care service market.
- Labour shortages in caregiving roles are likely to increase wages, or require importing caregivers or formalising informal caregiving.
Meeting the Challenge – How Greece Can Respond
Expanding Formal Elderly Care Services and Flexible Home Care
- Expand long-term care beds, assisted living, quality elder homes.
- Offer more flexible home care for those elders who prefer to stay at home but need help with daily tasks.
Improving Elderly Care Needs Assessment
- Carry out systematic elderly care needs assessment (ADL & IADL measures) at regional levels.
- Use data to allocate resources to most affected areas (both in terms of region and demographics such as women, people living alone).
Supporting Family and Informal Caregivers
- Provide financial, logistical, emotional support for family caregivers.
- Train informal caregivers especially in care of elderly with dementia, mobility-assistance, health monitoring etc.
Building Elderlycare Workforce Capacity & Skills
- Tackle senior care workforce challenges: training, certification, better pay, work conditions.
- Attracting more people into elder care jobs formally; possibly via programmes incentivising caregiving careers.
- Recruit skilled caregivers from other regions or countries to fill gaps and meet the growing demand for elderly care.
Policy and Funding Measures for Elderly Care
- Government subsidies, tax incentives, public/private partnerships for senior homecare services.
- Policies to encourage younger population growth, like financial relief and incentives, can also help reduce long-term pressure on elderly care.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Elderly Care Demand in Greece
What counts as “elderly care demand”?
It refers to the number of older people who need support with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) like bathing, dressing, eating, or Instrumental Activities (IADLs) like shopping, transportation. It includes minor, major and severe needs based on how much help is needed.
Is home care enough or are care homes needed?
Home care helps many elderly remain independent and comfortable at home (especially for minor or moderate care needs). But for major/severe needs, especially when medical care, dementia support or constant supervision is required, care homes or assisted living facilities are also essential.
How many caregivers does Greece need currently?
Studies estimate ~187,000 full-time equivalent caregivers are required to meet Greece’s demand (formal + informal).
Can informal care continue to handle rising demand?
It’s becoming less feasible. Informal caregivers are under strain (physically, financially, emotionally). With fewer family caregivers available and rising elderly care needs, formal support systems are needed to avoid burnout.
What role can technology or innovation play?
Technologies (remote health monitoring, telecare, mobility aids) can help reduce burden, improve quality of life, delay institutionalisation. Also helps in home care service delivery and in assessing elderly care needs.
How Grandmama Adds Value to Elderly Care in Greece
Finding the right care for an elderly loved one can be challenging. Grandmama makes it easier by providing skilled, trusted caregivers from India, offering support that covers both practical needs and emotional well-being.
Here’s how we make care easier, reliable, and compassionate for your loved ones:
1.Connecting Families with Skilled Caregivers from India
Grandmama sources trained, experienced caregivers from India to meet the growing demand for high-quality elderly care. Families can trust that the caregivers have the right skills, experience, and cultural sensitivity to support their loved ones.
2.Comprehensive Home Care Services
Beyond personal care, our services include assistance with household chores, social activities, and companionship, ensuring seniors receive holistic support that covers daily living and emotional well-being.
3.Specialised Care for Complex Needs
Many seniors require dementia support, mobility assistance, or chronic condition care. Grandmama provides trained caregivers who are experienced in these areas, giving families peace of mind that their loved ones’ unique needs are fully met.
4.Ongoing Support and Guidance for Families
Grandmama doesn’t just place caregivers — we provide continuous support, guidance, and check-ins, helping families navigate challenges and ensuring care remains consistent and high-quality.
5.Emphasis on Compassionate, Human-Centred Care
We understand that emotional well-being is as important as practical help. Our caregivers are trained to provide compassionate, respectful, and patient-centred care, helping seniors feel safe, valued, and connected.
6.Expertise and Reliability
Grandmama ensures every caregiver is certified, trained, and carefully matched to the family’s needs, providing a professional, trustworthy service
Caring for your loved ones is too important to compromise. Connect with us today to ensure your loved ones receive trusted, high-quality care every day.
Meeting Greece’s Rising Elderly Care Demand
Elderly care demand in Greece is rising due to ageing populations, longer life expectancy, fewer family caregivers, and limited formal infrastructure.
Meeting this demand calls for balanced solutions: expanding home care services, building long-term care options, strengthening the caregiver workforce, supporting family carers, and using data to target help where it’s most needed.
If addressed well, rising demand becomes an opportunity—for better senior well-being, quality elder home standards, and a stronger, more resilient elderly care service market.