Cumbria County Council health bosses have responded to the news that tens of thousands of extra care beds will be needed within the next eight years to cope with demand.
New research has found by 2025 there will be more than 350,000 new patients with complex needs in Britain.
A team of academics at Newcastle University who conducted a study on social care estimated an extra 71,000 beds would be needed to meet the needs of an ageing population
The lack of social care spaces has become a dire problem in south Cumbria.
So called 'bed blocking' has seen hospitals, including Furness General in Barrow, lose an average of 78 days per 1,000 people over the age of 18 as they waited for a social care package to be put in place, or for a bed within a nursing or care home to become available.
In spite of this shortfall in space, the county council has said it is determined to meet the challenge head on.
Brenda Smith, corporate director of health care and community services for Cumbria County Council, said: "The council takes this issue very seriously and is working hard with partners to address and ensure services in Cumbria can meet local need now and in the future.
"The challenge in Cumbria is particularly significant due to our ageing population and we are implementing a range of measures in response. We are constantly reviewing the needs of our service users and how we can meet them within the resources available.
"We have overhauled the way we provide extra care housing and are investing in state of the art new care homes in Barrow,now opened, Carlisle and Copeland which are expected to open in 2018.
"We are also investing in re-ablement, ensuring people leaving hospital are supported to regain their independence and reducing the likelihood of them being readmitted.
“We recognise that these challenges will not go away overnight, but there is a clear plan across health and social care and a shared commitment to getting it right for our residents.”
Read more:
Cumbria care shortage is the worst in the country
Experts warn almost 200,000 extra care beds will be needed in the next 40 years
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