Abstract
Over the last 50 years the aging of the population in Italy has been one of the fastest among developed countries, and healthcare professionals have witnessed a rapid increase in the complexity of the case mix of older patients. In Italy in 2006, Residential Facilities (RFs) cared for 230,468 people aged 65 and over. Due to the increase in the overall proportion of the aged in the general population (particularly in those over 85) and the sharp decline in the number of extended families (with the consequent reduction in informal support), the probability of an increase in the number of RF residents in future years is very high. The objective of this work is twofold. Firstly, to report on the availability of institutional care in Italy by analysing the territorial distribution of residential facilities, rehabilitation centres and the hospital structure with the intent of gathering both quantitative and qualitative data. Secondly, to examine the health conditions of the elderly in these institutions. Functional status, multiple pathology and medical conditions requiring care have been evaluated in 1,215 elderly subjects living in Residential Facilities across five Italian regions.