United Arab Emirates – Elderly Care

How are elderly people regarded and treated in the UAE?

Reverence for older generations is a cornerstone of Emirati culture and Islamic values. Senior members of society are considered repositories of wisdom and hold significant standing within their communities, and it has long been the norm for families to care for ageing relatives at home. This cultural disposition means that most Emirati households — and many expatriate families too — prefer to keep elderly members within the family environment for as long as circumstances allow, drawing on professional home care services where additional support is needed.

Experts have characterised what is happening in the UAE as a fundamental shift in how elder care is understood and organised — a movement away from exclusively family-provided care toward professional services that complement rather than supplant the family role. Broader societal changes are driving this transition: growing urbanisation, the emergence of smaller household units, and increasing participation in the workforce among those who would previously have taken on caregiving responsibilities themselves.

According to the WHO’s regional office, the UAE’s elderly population is forecast to climb from approximately 6% of the total population today to more than 29% by 2050. This significant demographic trajectory has generated responses from both the public and private sectors, fundamentally reshaping how elderly care is conceived and delivered throughout the country.

In keeping with the vision articulated in the UAE Centennial Plan 2071, the state has committed to safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of senior citizens through an array of initiatives — from free healthcare and community participation schemes to accessible transport options and cultural programming. Rather than mirroring the largely state-funded, institution-centric models prevalent in parts of northern Europe, the UAE is forging its own hybrid path: one that blends family care, professional private services, and government-backed support, particularly for nationals.

What state or publicly funded elderly care is available in the UAE?

Federal Law No. 9 of 2019 on the Rights of Senior Emiratis establishes that UAE nationals aged 60 and over are entitled to a broad suite of rights, among them access to comprehensive medical care — including preventive health services, medical insurance, mobile nursing units, and assistive medical devices — as well as preferential treatment in government transactions and access to social assistance.

In October 2018, the UAE unveiled its National Policy for Senior Citizens, a framework designed to enhance the quality of life for all residents over the age of 60. This policy sets out specific protections covering the right to social care, medical care, and the right to independence and personal privacy.

The federal government delivers a wide spectrum of services to older people, ranging from care at assisted living facilities and in the home through to rehabilitation, mobile service units, social assistance payments, and discounted or free public transportation and parking. Among the specific initiatives in operation are Elderly Health Cards granting priority access and reduced fees at government healthcare facilities, Mobile Health Units bringing basic clinical services directly to housebound seniors, Community Wellness Programmes providing free fitness and nutrition sessions, and Elderly Clubs functioning as social hubs with integrated health monitoring.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention has also introduced targeted measures for older people, including the development of a national database to track life expectancy among the elderly and guide the expansion of healthcare programmes. The Ministry of Community Development delivers primary healthcare alongside social, psychological, and physical therapy to UAE nationals aged 60 and above, either through dedicated elderly care centres or via a home care programme.

The UAE’s social welfare framework covers a range of vulnerable groups, including widows, divorced women, people of determination, the elderly, orphans, and those on low incomes. Federal Decree Law No. 23 of 2024 on Social Support and Empowerment now sets out the components of social support, who is eligible, and the method by which benefits are calculated. These provisions apply primarily to UAE nationals. Expatriate residents should consult the official UAE government portal and the Ministry of Community Empowerment for up-to-date eligibility information, as thresholds and programme scope are subject to regular revision.

It is worth noting that the Dubai Health Authority extends home care services to both Emirati nationals and expatriate residents, encompassing comprehensive geriatric assessment, nursing care, home safety evaluations, rehabilitation support, and nutrition assessment.

What residential, care home, and nursing home options exist in the UAE?

The UAE operates a number of retirement and elderly care centres — sometimes called senior care homes — that fall under the authority of the Ministry of Community Development. These centres deliver primary healthcare alongside social, psychological, and physical therapy for senior Emiratis, and include a nursing home located in Ajman.

The Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Centre is described as the sole facility in Abu Dhabi city dedicated to specialised elderly care. It accommodates senior citizens who lack family support, offering an extensive range of services: diagnosis, consultation, physical therapy, speech therapy, psychotherapy, exercise therapy, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy, family counselling, and social reintegration support.

Facilities such as the Maryam Care Center in Abu Dhabi illustrate how residential care provision has evolved to honour cultural values, incorporating gender-separated wings, prayer rooms on each level, halal dining, and activity programmes rooted in Emirati cultural traditions. The private sector is expanding rapidly, offering options spanning assisted living communities with upscale amenities to specialist dementia units and palliative care services.

Beyond general residential care, a growing number of specialised services have emerged to meet specific needs, including structured dementia care programmes, post-stroke and orthopaedic rehabilitation, and palliative and hospice care for those approaching the end of life.

Oversight of elderly care facilities falls to the Ministry of Community Development’s Elderly Affairs Department, which carries out regular inspections and investigates complaints. The UAE has not yet adopted a national dementia care strategy, and there remains a recognised shortage of geriatric rehabilitation facilities, which can complicate early discharge from acute hospital settings. Anyone considering placement at a care facility should request accreditation documentation directly from the provider and confirm regulatory standing with the Ministry of Community Development.

How much does elderly care cost in the UAE?

The cost of elderly care in the UAE varies considerably depending on the emirate, the type of care required, the provider, and the degree of medical or personal assistance involved. Comprehensive published price lists are not consistently available across the sector, so contacting providers directly for current fee information is advisable.

UAE nationals benefit from extensive government support through the Ministry of Community Development, including subsidised or no-cost residential care, home care services, and specialist medical treatments. Expatriate residents generally fund their own care through private insurance or personal means, though certain emirates have introduced limited support schemes for long-term foreign residents.

The gap in coverage between nationals and expats is considerable — nationals may receive support covering up to 85% of comprehensive care costs, while expatriates typically bear 70–100% of expenses unless they hold premium insurance policies that specifically encompass elder care.

For private home care services (as of 2025), pricing is determined by the number of hours required and the clinical level of the care worker, from companion and personal care visits through to skilled nursing provision. Organisations such as NeoHealth offer at-home healthcare for elderly clients, while residential options in Abu Dhabi include specialist retirement facilities and a range of senior health insurance products. In major cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, fees at residential care facilities can be substantial; it is essential to obtain a full itemised breakdown — including any additional charges for specialist consultations, medication management, or physiotherapy — before committing to a placement.

For general outpatient healthcare, expats in Dubai can access public facilities for approximately AED 100–200 per consultation, or choose private hospitals at AED 300–400 per visit, with the benefit of reduced waiting times (as of 2025). Long-term residential and nursing care fees are considerably higher and should be verified directly with individual providers. The Ministry of Community Development’s website is the appropriate starting point for any official guidance on cost benchmarks.

Can expats access elderly care in the UAE, and are there any restrictions?

Access to elderly care services in the UAE differs markedly between Emirati nationals and foreign residents. State-subsidised and publicly funded care — including residential placements and welfare payments — is primarily the preserve of UAE citizens. That said, expats can access certain public health services and a broadening range of private options.

Dubai’s Community Development Authority, for example, operates assistance programmes for elderly expatriates who have lived in the emirate for over 15 years. This represents an exception rather than standard practice, and the majority of expats will need to fund their own care privately or through appropriate insurance coverage.

For expatriates wishing to remain in the UAE into retirement, the principal visa route is the Retirement Visa. The UAE offers a five-year renewable Residence Visa for Retirees — available to expatriates aged 55 and above who satisfy certain financial conditions — permitting legal residency without the requirement for employment or company sponsorship. Applicants must meet at least one financial criterion: property worth AED 1 million, savings of the same value, or a monthly income of AED 20,000, with Dubai applying a slightly reduced AED 15,000 income threshold (as of 2025).

Total core fees — covering application processing, Emirates ID issuance, medical screening, and visa stamping — typically fall in the range of AED 4,000–5,500 for the principal applicant (as of 2025). Retirement visa holders are permitted to sponsor immediate family members, including a spouse and children, provided they satisfy the relevant conditions.

In Dubai, residents over the age of 60 — whether Emirati or expatriate — are entitled to discounts on public transport. Individuals aged 70 or older who are unable to visit customer happiness centres across the emirates are also exempt from urgent service fees, upon verification of age through a family book, passport, or other accepted documentation. These age-related concessions apply uniformly to all residents of qualifying age, irrespective of their country of origin.

What private elderly care and international options are available in the UAE?

The private elderly care sector in the UAE has grown considerably in recent years, fuelled by the demands of a large and maturing expatriate population. Facilities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in particular operate to internationally competitive standards, with many holding accreditation from recognised global bodies.

Home care is the fastest-expanding segment of the elderly care market in the UAE, recording annual growth of 23% since 2018. This model resonates with prevailing cultural values that prioritise family-centred care, while introducing professional expertise into the home setting. Services typically encompass skilled nursing visits, medication management, specialised clinical treatments, personal care assistance, companionship, and in-home physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.

Private residential care facilities span a wide spectrum — from assisted living communities built into larger residential developments, through to comprehensive nursing care and dedicated memory care units. Contemporary residential care in the UAE increasingly aims to foster communities where older adults can preserve dignity, purpose, and cultural identity while receiving the level of support their circumstances require. Specialist services addressing dementia, stroke rehabilitation, and palliative care are increasingly part of this offering.

Some providers, such as Pyramids Health Services in Abu Dhabi, hold CARF international accreditation and operate with approval from the Department of Health and the Dubai Health Authority, delivering personal care, post-operative support, medication management, and skilled nursing. Leading private hospitals, including the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, also offer outpatient geriatric assessment services.

Hospital infrastructure in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is modern and meets international benchmarks, supported by internationally trained clinical staff. Multilingual capabilities are commonplace in major private facilities, making them accessible to residents from a wide range of language backgrounds. Those who have specific cultural or religious care requirements — such as prayer facilities, halal menus, or gender-separated care environments — should raise these needs directly with any facility under consideration.

What role does health insurance play in covering elderly care in the UAE?

Health insurance in the UAE is not a matter of personal preference — it is a legal obligation tied to your residency permit. January 2025 brought a significant regulatory change, extending the mandatory health insurance requirement beyond Abu Dhabi and Dubai to encompass all seven emirates, establishing a single nationwide system for the first time.

The basic health insurance package introduced under the 2025 rules is priced at AED 320 annually and provides coverage for individuals between the ages of 1 and 64. Anyone over the age of 64 must submit a medical disclosure form accompanied by recent medical records. This entry-level plan is unlikely to provide adequate coverage for individuals with complex or ongoing elderly care requirements.

Long-term care insurance products for elderly expatriates in Dubai are typically offered by private insurers through tailored plans that may include chronic illness management, nursing care, and assisted living support. Many plans provide flexibility in selecting inpatient and outpatient care providers, and some extend to home care services or emergency medical evacuation. For older expats, it is particularly important to seek out plans that accommodate pre-existing conditions and carry generous annual benefit limits.

Average health insurance costs in Dubai can reach up to AED 10,000 per year, while comprehensive individual premiums across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other major cities start from around AED 5,500 (as of 2025). When preparing for retirement or extended residency, look specifically for policies that include long-term or nursing care coverage, home care services, chronic disease management without restrictive exclusion periods, and high or uncapped annual benefit ceilings. Standard expatriate health policies frequently exclude long-term residential care, so scrutinising policy wording carefully before purchase is essential.

Retirees on a retirement visa must ensure that their health insurance is current and accepted within the emirate where they reside, and should keep a close eye on renewal deadlines. Engaging an independent insurance broker with specialist knowledge of the UAE market is strongly recommended.

What should expats consider when planning for elderly care in the UAE?

Preparing for elderly care as a foreign national in the UAE requires careful attention to both UAE regulations and the legal and financial frameworks of your home country. Beginning this process early — ideally well before any decline in health — creates the time needed to evaluate options, understand what care costs, and put the necessary legal instruments in place.

1. Understand your visa status and its implications. The five-year renewable Retirement Visa enables financially self-sufficient expats aged 55 and above to live legally in the UAE without employment or company sponsorship. Verify whether your current visa category grants access to the care services you may eventually need, and prepare for renewal requirements well ahead of time.
2. Establish legal instruments while you are well. The UAE recognises powers of attorney executed under UAE law. Foreign nationals should engage a UAE-qualified legal adviser to put a local power of attorney in place, authorising a trusted individual to make decisions regarding your medical care, finances, and property should you lose the capacity to do so yourself. Advance care directives (living wills) are not yet codified in UAE statute in the same manner as in certain other jurisdictions, which makes professional legal guidance especially important in this context.
3. Review your insurance coverage thoroughly. Tailored long-term care insurance plans in the UAE can encompass chronic illness management, nursing care, and assisted living support, with some policies also covering home care and emergency medical evacuation. Prioritise plans that accommodate pre-existing conditions and carry high annual benefit limits.
4. Research care facilities before you need them. Visit prospective facilities in person, verify their accreditation with the Ministry of Community Development, enquire about staffing ratios, language capabilities, and cultural provisions, and obtain complete fee schedules that include all supplemental charges before making any commitment.
5. Understand next-of-kin rights for foreign nationals. UAE law governing inheritance and medical decision-making for non-Muslim expatriates may differ substantially from what you are accustomed to. Registering a will through the DIFC Wills Service Centre in Dubai — or equivalent services available in Abu Dhabi — is advisable to ensure your intentions are recognised under UAE law.
6. Consult a local legal and financial adviser. Before making consequential decisions, seek guidance from an immigration or legal professional based in the specific emirate where you reside — whether Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or elsewhere — to confirm how rules are implemented locally and whether any recent changes apply.
7. Plan for potential repatriation. Give advance thought to whether, if your care needs become significantly more complex, returning to your home country might be the preferable or more practical course of action. Confirm that any insurance policy you hold includes coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation.

What are the best official sources of information on elderly care in the UAE?

Given that regulations, fee structures, and programme eligibility in the UAE’s elder care sector are subject to frequent revision, it is essential to verify all details through official channels before acting on any information. The following sources are the most authoritative points of reference for elderly care in the UAE:

• UAE Government Official Portal – Senior Emiratis: u.ae/en/information-and-services/social-affairs/senior-emiratis — the definitive hub for government services, current legislation, and programme information relevant to senior residents.
• Ministry of Community Empowerment (MoCE): moce.gov.ae — oversees the Social Welfare Programme and associated elderly support services, with an online portal for eligible nationals to submit applications.
• UAE Government Portal – Senior People’s Health and Rehabilitation: u.ae — provides details on rehabilitation services, home care programmes, and mobile clinical units operating across the emirates.
• Dubai Health Authority (DHA): dha.gov.ae — the regulatory authority for healthcare in Dubai, including oversight of home care services accessible to both Emiratis and expatriate residents.
• Department of Health – Abu Dhabi: doh.gov.ae — Abu Dhabi’s health regulator, responsible for licensing private care facilities in the emirate.
• Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP): icp.gov.ae — for information on age-related exemptions from service fees and residency visa matters.
• Permanent Committee for Human Rights (PCHR) – Senior Citizens: pchr.gov.ae — outlines the rights afforded to senior citizens and the UAE’s commitments under the Centennial Plan 2071.
• DIFC Wills Service Centre (for non-Muslim expats in Dubai): difcwills.ae — the mechanism through which non-Muslim foreign nationals residing in Dubai can register a legally recognised will.

The UAE’s elder care regulatory landscape continues to evolve at pace. Recent years have seen signals of forthcoming changes including new minimum staffing standards for residential care facilities, expanded insurance coverage mandates for home-based care services, the introduction of standardised quality rating systems for elderly care providers, and enhanced visa pathways for elderly parents of UAE residents. Consulting official sources directly remains the most reliable way to stay informed before making any significant decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Elderly Care in United Arab Emirates

Can my elderly parent come to live with me in the UAE as a dependent?

Retirement visa holders may sponsor immediate family members, including a spouse and children, provided the relevant conditions are satisfied. Sponsoring elderly parents through a separate family residency visa is also possible in certain situations, but specific financial thresholds and documentation requirements apply. The exact rules vary by emirate and visa category, so consulting a registered immigration adviser or reviewing the ICP portal for current conditions is advisable. Health insurance for any sponsored family member is a legal requirement.

Is there a language barrier in UAE care settings?

The elder care workforce in the UAE is predominantly made up of expatriate professionals, which means that many care workers and clinical staff communicate in English alongside other widely spoken languages including Tagalog, Hindi, and Urdu. Major hospitals and private care facilities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi generally employ multilingual staff. That said, Arabic remains the official language for formal documents and government services, so having access to someone who can assist with translation for administrative matters is a practical advantage.

What happens if I need emergency residential care while living alone in the UAE?

In a medical emergency, dialling 998 (ambulance) or 999 (police) will connect you to the relevant emergency services. Dubai’s Community Development Authority operates the ‘Elderly Happiness’ and ‘Home Care (Weleef)’ programmes, which provide rehabilitation, care, and support for senior citizens. For longer-term emergency accommodation, private hospitals can often arrange short-term residential or step-down care. It is prudent to identify a preferred care facility in advance, share your wishes with a trusted contact, and ensure that a power of attorney is in place well before any emergency arises.

Does the UAE have specific facilities for people living with dementia?

The UAE has not yet adopted a national dementia care strategy, and population-level data on dementia prevalence in the country remain limited. Nevertheless, the sector has made meaningful strides in recent years, and private facilities in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are increasingly offering dedicated memory care units featuring structured programmes for residents with cognitive impairment. When assessing any facility for a person living with dementia, ask specifically about staffing training, environmental design, and the clinical approaches used before arriving at a decision.

Are care home costs in the UAE covered by standard health insurance?

Specialist long-term care insurance products available in the UAE can include coverage for nursing home and assisted living costs, with some policies also extending to home care and emergency medical evacuation. However, the standard mandatory health insurance package — including the AED 320 basic plan — does not cover residential or nursing home fees. Dedicated long-term care or elder care riders must be added to a policy, and these should be secured before care becomes necessary, as exclusions for pre-existing conditions are common.

What is the quality of care in UAE nursing homes and care facilities?

The UAE’s healthcare system has advanced considerably in the field of elderly patient care, with a range of policies and initiatives in place to address the complex and varied needs of older people. The Ministry of Community Development’s Elderly Affairs Department carries out regular inspections of care facilities and investigates any reported breaches. Quality levels differ between providers and emirates: in major urban centres, internationally accredited private facilities typically meet high standards, while options in less populated areas may be more limited in scope.

Can I register a will in the UAE as a non-Muslim expat?

Yes. Non-Muslim expatriates living in Dubai have the option of registering a legally recognised will through the DIFC Wills Service Centre (difcwills.ae), which enables you to specify your wishes regarding assets and, where relevant, guardianship. A comparable wills registration service is available for non-Muslims in Abu Dhabi. In the absence of a registered will, UAE inheritance law — grounded in principles of Islamic jurisprudence — may govern the distribution of your estate regardless of your nationality or faith, potentially with results that differ from your intentions.

What financial criteria must I meet to stay in the UAE as a retiree?

Eligibility for the five-year retirement visa requires satisfying at least one of the following financial conditions: property ownership valued at AED 1 million, savings of the same amount, or a monthly income of AED 20,000 — with Dubai applying a slightly reduced AED 15,000 income threshold (as of 2025). Thanks to improvements in government digital processing, end-to-end application handling now averages approximately 15 working days (as of 2025). Always verify the current thresholds with the ICP or a registered immigration adviser, as these figures may be updated over time.