Ireland’s Older Persons – Important Statistics for Homecare Planning
Ireland’s population is ageing rapidly, a shift with significant implications for homecare planning and support for older persons.
To anticipate future homecare needs, Comfort Keepers has compiled recent Irish data on demographics, living situations, and active ageing.
The statistics, from population growth to the rates of living alone, are drawn from reputable sources like the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Social Justice Ireland, and Irish government reports.
Ireland's Ageing Population - Statistics at a Glance
Ireland’s over-65 population is projected to reach 1.6 million by 2051 and up to 1.9 million by 2057, signalling a need to scale homecare services nationwide.
Only 3.3% of people aged 65+ are in nursing homes under the Nursing Home Support Scheme, so the vast majority live in the community. Over one-quarter live alone, ~190,000 people. This highlights the importance of personalised in-home support and social engagement initiatives.
Many older persons stay active beyond retirement. Approximately 107,300 people aged 65+ were at work in Q1 2023 (≈13% of the 65+ population of around 806,000). Additionally, 33% of adults aged 65–74 meet WHO guidelines, and 14% of the Irish population (of all ages) volunteer. This suggests that homecare packages should accommodate their ongoing engagement.
Ireland’s care burden is rising as the old-age dependency ratio doubles from 23.1 in 2022 to 46.5 by 2052, and the HSE delivered over 22 million home-support hours in 2023, making workforce development and retention critical.
Demographic Growth of Ireland’s Ageing Population
The number of people over 65 in Ireland has grown dramatically in the past decade and is projected to expand further. Planners must recognise the scale of this growth when designing homecare services for the future.
Recent Growth (2013–2023)
The share of Ireland's population aged 65 or over grew from 12.3% in 2013 to 15.3% in 2023, according to a 2024 article from the Law Society of Ireland Gazette. This represents an increase from roughly half a million to over 800,000 older persons.
A 2023 analysis by Social Justice Ireland notes a 21.8% jump in the 65+ population between 2016 and 2022 alone.
The group aged 70 and over expanded even faster, growing by 27% in the same period.
A 2024 TASC think-tank analysis highlights that Census 2022 counted 181,000 people aged 80 and over, a figure expected to more than triple by 2052.
Future Projections to 2051
CSO Population & Labour-Force Projections 2023-2057 show the 65 + cohort will pass the one-million mark by 2030 and reach ~1.55–1.60 million by 2051 in the central (M2) outlook.
Under the high-migration M1 scenario, numbers aged 65 + could climb to ≈1.94 million by 2057, representing almost 28% of the total population.
A 2025 joint report from Social Justice Ireland and ALONE projects the 65+ group will be 70% larger in 2040 than in 2022.
Ireland is expected to surpass 1 million residents over 65 by 2030.
Housing and Living Arrangements of Older Persons
Identifying where and how older persons live is fundamental for homecare planning. Most in Ireland live in private households, many on their own, rather than in institutional settings. These living arrangements influence demand for in-home care.
Living Independently
The overwhelming majority of older persons live in the community, not in nursing homes, as a 2023 Irish Examiner article reports. Only 3.3% of people over 65 reside in nursing home care.
Figures from the CSO's Census 2022 Profile 3 report show that over one-quarter of people aged 65 and over live alone. This figure rises to 44% among those aged over 85.
The number of older persons living by themselves grew from 156,800 in 2016 to nearly 190,000 in 2022. This includes over 30,000 people aged 85 and over.
Women are far more likely to live alone in later life. Of those 65+ living solo, 115,552 were women versus 74,022 men.
Active Ageing - Employment and Engagement Past 65
Many older Irish persons lead active, engaged lives, continuing to work or participate in community life well past the traditional retirement age. These trends influence how and when they might seek homecare.
Work and Health
A 2023 article in The Irish Times reported that 107,300 individuals aged 65 and over were working, an all-time high. This is roughly ≈13% of older persons.
Survey data published by Age Friendly Ireland shows that about 33% of adults aged 65–74 meet physical activity recommendations.
About one in seven people in Ireland engages in voluntary work, and many volunteers are older retirees.
Dependency Ratios and Care Demand
As Ireland’s population ages, the balance between working-age people and older dependents shifts. This has direct effects on homecare demand, workforce planning, and public spending.
The Care Gap
Ireland’s Old Age Dependency Ratio was 23.1 in 2022. This is about 4.3 working-age adults for every one person over 65.
This ratio is projected to reach 46.5 by 2052, shrinking to a 2-to-1 balance of working-age people to retirees.
The HSE delivered over 22 million home-support hours to over 55,000 older people in 2023, according to its HSE Annual Report & Financial Statements 2023 (PDF).
Unmet need for homecare leads to delayed hospital discharges and excess pressure on nursing homes.
Main Takeaways
The data on Ireland's ageing population points to a clear conclusion. More older persons are living longer and more independently, and they will require expanded homecare supports.
The over-65 population is growing, with a large number living alone. Simultaneously, smaller family sizes and a doubling of the dependency ratio mean fewer relatives are available to provide support.
For Comfort Keepers Ireland, these trends highlight the importance of strategic planning:
Focus on services that enable ageing in place. Most older persons prefer to remain at home, with only a tiny minority in nursing homes.
Support like personal care, meal preparation, housekeeping, and companion care makes independent living possible.
Highlight solutions for loneliness and social support, integrating companionship into care plans for those living alone.
Prepare for higher demand with a focus on carer recruitment, training, and retention. The data points to a growing care gap.
Grounding our homecare strategy in solid data allows Comfort Keepers to meet Ireland’s evolving needs. The result will be better outcomes for older persons and peace of mind for their families.
References and Data Sources
Law Society of Ireland Gazette – Ireland’s population reached 5.3 million in 2023
https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/2024/february/irelands-population-reached-5.3-million-in-2023Social Justice Ireland – Government is failing older people, more support required in Budget 2024
https://www.socialjustice.ie/article/government-failing-older-people-more-support-required-budget-2024Central Statistics Office – Population & Labour-Force Projections 2023-2057 (main report page)
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-plfp/populationandlabourforceprojections2023-2057/Central Statistics Office – Population Projections Results (detailed tables)
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-plfp/populationandlabourforceprojections2023-2057/populationprojectionsresults/Social Justice Ireland & ALONE – Policies for Ageing Well at Home (2025)
https://www.socialjustice.ie/publication/policies-ageing-well-home-ireland-health-and-wellbeing-2025Age Friendly Ireland – CSO projections news item
https://agefriendlyireland.ie/news/the-central-statistics-office-statistics/Irish Examiner – Number of over-65s living alone has jumped since last census
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41156566.htmlCSO – Census 2022 Profile 3: Private Households and Living Alone
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cpp3/censusofpopulation2022profile3-householdsfamiliesandchildcare/privatehouseholdsandlivingalone/The Irish Times – Number of people working beyond retirement age reaches record levels (5 Jun 2023)
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/work/2023/06/05/number-of-people-working-beyond-retirement-age-reaches-record-levels/Age Friendly Ireland – WHO physical-activity news release
https://agefriendlyireland.ie/news/who-global-levels-of-physical-inactivity-in-adults-off-track-for-2030/CSO – Census 2022 Spotlight Series: Volunteering in Ireland
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cpsv/censusofpopulation2022spotlightseriesvolunteeringinireland/volunteeringinireland/TASC – Employment Rates, Not Age, as Predictor of Dependency (19 Aug 2024)
https://www.tasc.ie/blog/2024/08/19/employment-rates-not-age-is-a-better-predictor-of/HSE – Annual Report & Financial Statements 2023 (PDF)
https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/board-members/board-meetings/march-2024/hse-annual-report-and-financial-statements-2023.pdf
