In 2023, there were 4.5 million, equal to 7.6% of the population; they were 7% in 2022. The reasons are economic problems, waiting lists, and access difficulties.
Hospital emigration outside the region also returns to pre-Covid levels. Life expectancy is growing in Italy as of 31 December last "it is equal to 83.1 years, an increase compared to 2022 (82.3)", a figure with which it "almost completely recovers," according to the report. The North-East remains the area with the highest level of care for frail elderly people (6.2% in 2021) and the South with the lowest (2.8% in 2020). The share of elderly people assisted in integrated home care (ADI) continues to increase, from 2.9% in 2019 to 3.3% in 2023, but there remains strong territorial variability from 3.8% in the North-east to 2.6% in the South.