🚨 Integrated Care Support Act: 88% Feel the Burden of Parental Care, Now the State Will Solve It

Today Korean Social News | 2025.03.30

📌 The Wall of Family Care, the State Steps In... 'Integrated Care Support Act' About to Be Fully Implemented

💬 In Korea, which has entered a super-aged society, the burden of care is intensifying. 88% of respondents said they feel burdened by parental care, and 77% said they feel guilty about using nursing facilities. Accordingly, state-led care that goes beyond the limitations of family-centered care systems is being demanded, and the 'Integrated Care Support Act', which will be implemented in 2026, is attracting attention as a key alternative. The government plans to strengthen integrated care infrastructure centered on home care, nursing facilities, and community care, and respond to the diverse needs of families and users.

Summary

• The Integrated Care Support Act is legislation to provide integrated services to various care recipients including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
• It aims to improve the fragmentation of existing care services and supplier-centered systems to pursue user-centered, continuous, and integrated care.
• The core goal is to establish a community-centered care system and realize the 'socialization of care' where the burden of care is shared by the state and society.

1️⃣ Definition

The Integrated Care Support Act refers to legislation enacted to provide integrated and continuous care services to those in need of care, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Simply put, it is a law that combines care services that were previously divided among various ministries and agencies so that citizens can easily receive the care they need.

This law aims to strengthen the public nature of care, respect the choices and autonomy of those receiving care, and establish an integrated care system centered on the community.

💡 Why is it important?

• The limitations of family-centered care systems have become clear with aging and the increase in single-person households.
• Existing care services were fragmented by ministry and target group, making them difficult to use.
• It is time for social sharing of the care burden and a systematic national care system.

2️⃣ Background and Main Contents of the Integrated Care Support Act

📕 Background of the Integrated Care Support Act

• Demographic changes and the limitations of family care formed the background. The background of the Integrated Care Support Act includes dramatic demographic changes. Korea surpassed an aged society (elderly population ratio of 14% or more) in 2023 and entered a super-aged society (elderly population ratio of 20% or more) in 2025. Additionally, single-person households have rapidly increased, accounting for about 31% of all households as of 2025. These demographic changes are placing a significant burden on the existing family-centered care system. According to a recent survey, 88% of respondents feel burdened by parental care, and 77% said they feel guilty about using nursing facilities. The burden of childcare is also increasing due to the rise in dual-income households. While family care capacity has reached its limits, the national care system has not been able to respond adequately. In this context, the Integrated Care Support Act was enacted to strengthen social responsibility for care and establish an integrated care system at the national level.

• There were problems and limitations with existing care services. Until the enactment of the Integrated Care Support Act, Korea's care services had various limitations and problems. First, there was the problem of service fragmentation. Child care was divided between the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, elderly care under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and disability care under the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, making it difficult to provide integrated services. Second, there was a lack of continuity throughout the life cycle. Different service systems operated for infants, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly, causing service disruptions as people aged. Third, there was the problem of supplier-centered service design. Care services were designed for the convenience of providers rather than users' needs, making it difficult for people to receive the services they actually needed. Fourth, there were severe regional disparities in services. There were significant differences in the quality and quantity of care services between urban and rural areas, and between large and small cities. A legal basis was needed to build an integrated and user-centered care system to solve these problems.

📕 Main Contents of the Integrated Care Support Act

• Building an integrated care system is key. The core of the Integrated Care Support Act is to build an integrated care system. First, an 'Integrated Care Support Center' will be established to link and coordinate care services. This center will serve as a hub that connects and coordinates various care services at the local level. Second, an 'Integrated Care Plan' will be established. It will comprehensively assess the condition and needs of those requiring care and establish a customized care plan, providing necessary services accordingly. Third, a 'Care Information System' will be built. It will gather scattered care-related information in one place, making it easy for users to obtain information and apply for services. Fourth, inter-ministerial cooperation will be strengthened. An 'Care Policy Coordination Committee' will be established to foster cooperation between care-related ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Through this integrated system, those in need of care will be able to receive necessary services without complicated procedures.

• The Act aims to provide user-centered care services. The Integrated Care Support Act establishes providing user-centered care services as an important principle. First, it respects the choices and autonomy of care service users. It allows users to directly choose the services they need and give opinions on how services are provided. Second, it provides personalized services. It establishes customized care plans considering the individual's condition, needs, and living environment, and provides services accordingly. Third, it improves service accessibility. It allows applying for multiple services at once through a one-stop window and places service providers in accessible locations within the community. Fourth, it ensures continuity of care. It ensures that care services needed throughout the life cycle are provided without interruption, so that appropriate support is always available when care is needed. This user-centered approach represents a fundamental change from the existing supplier-centered service system.

Main Contents of the Integrated Care Support Act

1. Establishing Integrated Care Plans: Creating personalized care plans for individuals
2. Installing Integrated Care Support Centers: Regional hubs for connecting and coordinating care services
3. Building a Care Information System: Unifying information and service application channels
4. Community-centered Care: Emphasizing the right to receive care in the community rather than in facilities
5. Care Policy Coordination Committee: Establishing an inter-ministerial policy coordination body
6. Care Quality Management: Establishing a system for evaluating and managing care service quality
7. Care Personnel Support: Improving treatment and strengthening professionalism of care workers
8. Family Caregiver Support: Expanding support services for family caregivers
9. Expanding Care Infrastructure: Expanding care facilities and services by region
10. Customized Home Services: Developing and supporting various home-centered care services

3️⃣ Impact and Expected Effects of the Integrated Care Support Act

✅ Improvement Directions by Target Group

• Child care services will become more comprehensive. The Integrated Care Support Act is expected to significantly improve child care services. First, an integrated system will be built to address care gaps. Various child care services such as schools, community child centers, and together-care centers will be connected so that children can receive continuous care by time period. Second, after-school care services will be expanded. After-school care for elementary school students will be expanded, which is expected to reduce the care burden on dual-income families. Third, the quality of care services will improve. The quality of child care will improve through service standardization and enhancement of care personnel expertise. Fourth, regional disparities will decrease. Services will be prioritized for expansion in vulnerable care areas such as rural areas and low-income urban areas, mitigating regional imbalances. Fifth, responses to special care needs will be strengthened. Customized services for children who need special care, such as children with disabilities or from single-parent families, will be expanded.

• Elderly care will shift to community-centered care. The Integrated Care Support Act transforms the paradigm of elderly care services to 'Aging in Place'. First, home care services will be strengthened. Home services such as home nursing, home visits, and day care will be expanded so that the elderly can continue to live in their familiar homes and communities. Second, the community-integrated care model will spread. The community-integrated care model, which provides integrated medical, nursing, housing, and welfare services, will be expanded nationwide. Third, preventive care will be strengthened. Preventive services such as health management and support for social activities will be expanded to prevent disease or functional decline. Fourth, customized housing support will be expanded. Housing services that support independent living for the elderly, such as elderly-friendly housing renovation and shared living housing for the elderly, will be expanded. Fifth, the dementia care system will be strengthened. It is expected that an integrated support system for dementia patients and their families will be established, reducing the burden of dementia care.

• Self-determination in care for people with disabilities will be strengthened. The Integrated Care Support Act improves care services in a direction that respects the self-determination of people with disabilities. First, activity support services will be expanded. The targets and hours of activity support services that support independent living for people with disabilities will be expanded, allowing more people with disabilities to receive as much support as they need. Second, client-centered service design will be implemented. A service system that respects the opinions and choices of people with disabilities will be established, allowing them to receive care that meets their needs and preferences. Third, support for people with developmental disabilities will be strengthened. Customized care services considering the characteristics of people with developmental disabilities will be expanded, and integrated support connected with lifelong education and vocational training will be provided. Fourth, support for family caregivers will be expanded. Services such as short-term protection and rest support will be strengthened to reduce the care burden on families of people with disabilities. Fifth, support for independent living in the community will be expanded. Various services that promote deinstitutionalization and support independent living in the community will be expanded.

✅ Social Impact and Significance

• The socialization of care will be in full swing. The Integrated Care Support Act will be a turning point for the socialization of care, expanding care responsibility from families to society and the state. First, state responsibility for care will be strengthened. A paradigm that recognizes care as a joint responsibility of society and the state, not the responsibility of individuals and families, will be established. Second, the public nature of care will be strengthened. Public-led care services will be expanded, and public management of private services will also be strengthened. Third, care infrastructure will be expanded. Care infrastructure such as facilities, personnel, and programs will be expanded nationwide, increasing accessibility. Fourth, community care communities will be activated. Along with public services, neighborhood and village-level care communities will be activated, increasing the diversity and resilience of care. Fifth, social awareness of care will change. A culture that recognizes care not as simple protection but as a basic human right and essential function of society will spread. This socialization of care will contribute to reducing the burden of family care and creating a society where everyone who needs care can receive it with dignity.

• The paradigm of care policy will shift. The Integrated Care Support Act has the meaning of fundamentally shifting the paradigm of care policy. First, it shifts from a fragmented approach to an integrated approach. Care services that were divided by ministry and target group will be linked into a single integrated system. Second, it shifts from provider-centered to user-centered. A system that prioritizes the needs and choices of those who need care over the convenience of service providers will be established. Third, it shifts from facility-centered to community-centered. The center of gravity will move from large-scale facility-centered care to various forms of care within the community. Fourth, it shifts from fragmentary services to continuous services throughout the life cycle. A system will be established where services that were disconnected by life stages will be continuously connected. Fifth, attention to the quality of care will increase. Policies will develop in the direction of increasing the quality and effectiveness of services, beyond simply expanding care services. This paradigm shift will be an opportunity to develop Korea's care system to the level of advanced countries.

✅ Future Tasks and Prospects

• Expansion of care infrastructure and finances is urgent. Several tasks need to be addressed for the successful implementation of the Integrated Care Support Act. First, care infrastructure needs to be expanded. As care facilities and personnel are currently lacking in many areas, regional care infrastructure needs to be quickly expanded. Second, securing finances is important. Building an integrated care system and expanding services requires substantial resources, so stable financing measures need to be established. Third, improving the treatment of care personnel and strengthening their expertise is urgent. Since the quality of care services is directly related to the quality of personnel, it is necessary to improve wages and working conditions for care workers, along with establishing an education and training system. Fourth, building cooperation systems between ministries and between central and local governments is important. Close cooperation systems are essential for effective linkage of care services across various ministries and administrative units. Fifth, improving social awareness of care is necessary. It is necessary to raise social awareness of the value and importance of care and form a consensus on the social sharing of care responsibilities.

• Changes and innovations in future care are expected. Based on the Integrated Care Support Act, Korea's care system is expected to develop in a future-oriented manner. First, smart care utilizing digital technology will spread. Care services utilizing advanced technologies such as IoT, AI, and robots will expand, increasing efficiency and accessibility. Second, preventive and participatory care will be strengthened. A care model that focuses on prevention rather than responding after problems occur, and in which those who need care actively participate, will spread. Third, intergenerational integrated care will expand. Intergenerational care programs and facilities that bring together children and the elderly will expand, promoting understanding and cooperation between generations. Fourth, community-based care ecosystems will form. Local care ecosystems where public services, private services, and village communities are organically linked will develop according to the characteristics of each region. Fifth, international cooperation and exchange will become active. As care is a common global challenge, care policies and services will develop through sharing advanced cases and cooperation. These changes will be a stepping stone for Korean society to leap forward as an advanced country in care.

4️⃣ Related Terminology

🔎 Community Care (Community Integrated Care)

• Community care is a system that provides integrated care in the community.
• Community care (community integrated care) refers to a care system that allows people who need care to receive necessary services and continue living in their homes or communities without having to enter facilities. This concept was first introduced in advanced countries such as the UK and Sweden, and Korea also started pilot projects in 2018, with plans to expand nationwide through the Integrated Care Support Act. The core principles of community care are 'deinstitutionalization' and 'aging in place'. Major services include home medical care, home nursing, home care, daily life support, meal delivery, housing renovation, mobility support, etc., which are provided in an integrated manner. The advantages of community care include improving the quality of life for those who need care, promoting recovery in a familiar environment, maintaining social relationships, and being more cost-effective compared to facility care. The Integrated Care Support Act will serve as a legal foundation to institutionally support and spread such community care nationwide.

🔎 Socialization of Care

• Socialization of care is a concept that expands care responsibility from family to society and the state.
• Socialization of care means that the role of care, traditionally considered the responsibility of the family, especially women, is shared by society and the state. This is an approach that recognizes care as a social issue rather than just an individual or family issue, and tries to solve it through public services, institutional support, and social solidarity. There are several reasons why the socialization of care is necessary. First, changes in family structure (nuclearization, increase in single-person households, etc.) have weakened family care capacity. Second, the increase in women's economic participation has changed traditional gender role divisions. Third, the demand for care is increasing due to aging, while potential care providers are decreasing. The socialization of care is realized through expanding public care services, building care infrastructure, strengthening support for family caregivers, and recognizing the value of care labor. The Integrated Care Support Act will be an important foundation for institutionally implementing this socialization of care.

🔎 Integrated Care Plan

• An integrated care plan is a comprehensive plan that designs personalized care services for individuals.
• An integrated care plan refers to a comprehensive plan that designs appropriate care services for an individual by comprehensively evaluating their condition, needs, environment, etc. This system, introduced according to the Integrated Care Support Act, aims to link and provide several care services that were provided separately into a single integrated plan. The process of establishing an integrated care plan is as follows. First, it comprehensively evaluates the physical, mental, social condition and care needs of the individual through a care needs assessment. Second, it establishes a plan that fully reflects the opinions and preferences of the individual and their family. Third, it reviews the plan from an integrated perspective through case conferences involving experts from various fields (medical, nursing, welfare, etc.). Fourth, it connects and provides necessary services according to the confirmed plan. Fifth, it adjusts and improves the plan through regular monitoring and evaluation. Through such an integrated care plan, those who need care can receive customized services suited to their situation, and receive integrated care without the hassle of visiting multiple institutions.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: When will the Integrated Care Support Act be implemented?

A: The Integrated Care Support Act is scheduled to be fully implemented from January 1, 2026. Currently, it is in the preparation stage for law implementation, building necessary infrastructure such as preparing enforcement decrees and regulations, installing Integrated Care Support Centers, and building a Care Information System. However, some regions are already piloting integrated care models as leading projects, so residents in these areas can experience integrated care services early. Even before the law is implemented, if you need care-related information or services, you can receive guidance on currently available care services through your local town office, health center, senior welfare center, disability welfare center, etc. In addition, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and local governments are planning briefing sessions and promotional activities for residents ahead of the implementation of the Integrated Care Support Act, so it would be helpful to check related information through local newsletters or public institution websites.

Q: What services can I use when the Integrated Care Support Act is implemented?

A: When the Integrated Care Support Act is implemented, you will be able to use various integrated care services in a one-stop manner. The main services are as follows. First, customized home care services. Various care services that can be received at home such as home care, home nursing, and day care will be provided according to individual needs. Second, medical-care linkage services. Hospitals and care institutions will be linked to provide continuous management and rehabilitation services after discharge. Third, housing support services. Housing-related support such as housing renovation and care support housing will be provided according to care needs. Fourth, meal and nutrition support services. Services such as meal delivery and nutrition management according to health status will be provided. Fifth, mobility support services. Mobility support needed for hospital visits and daily activities will be provided. Sixth, care counseling and information provision services. You can receive necessary information and counseling in a one-stop manner through an Integrated Care Support Center. These services will be provided in a customized manner according to an individual's integrated care plan, and various additional services will be developed according to life cycle and target-specific characteristics.

Q: How is the Integrated Care Support Act different from existing care services?

A: The Integrated Care Support Act differs from existing care services in three main aspects. First, integration. Previously, services were provided separately by target groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and children, and by ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. In contrast, the Integrated Care Support Act integrates and connects these services, allowing you to apply for and use all necessary services in one place. Second, user-centeredness. While services were previously designed and provided according to the convenience of providers, the Integrated Care Support Act provides customized services that match the needs and preferences of users. It establishes an individual integrated care plan and provides services accordingly. Third, community-centeredness. While facility-centered care was previously predominant, the Integrated Care Support Act emphasizes the community care model that supports independent living in the community. This allows those who need care to live with dignity in the place where they have been living. These changes are expected to improve the quality and satisfaction of care, and contribute to improving the quality of life for those who need care.

Q: Is there support for family caregivers as well?

A: Yes, the Integrated Care Support Act also importantly addresses support for family caregivers. The main support contents for family caregivers are as follows. First, respite care services will be expanded. It provides temporary alternative care services so that family caregivers can take a break from care. Second, psychological and emotional support will be strengthened. Counseling, self-help groups, and stress management programs for family caregivers will be expanded. Third, education and information provision will be expanded. Education and information on care techniques, disease management, available services, etc. will be systematically provided. Fourth, economic support will be strengthened. Economic support measures such as allowances and tax benefits for family caregivers are being expanded and reviewed. Fifth, work-care balance support will be strengthened. Support systems in the workplace such as family care leave and flexible work arrangements are expected to be expanded. Such family caregiver support will contribute to improving the quality of care while preventing burnout and health deterioration of family caregivers and creating a sustainable care environment. Details on family caregiver support will be concretized during the implementation process, so please continue to check related information.