A major step forward in the field of long-term care in the EU

SPC report LTC 2014 frontpageThe European Commission and the Social Protection Committee released in June 2014 a joint report on ‘Adequate social protection for long-term care needs in an ageing society’. As a response, AGE Platform Europe warmly welcomes the report and suggests some additional actions.

The report brings indeed a comprehensive analysis of the challenges faced by EU countries in light of Europe’s rapid demographic ageing and suggests innovative solutions to ensure a proactive, fair and sustainable response to these challenges. We support all the initiatives proposed by the SPC and the European Commission and propose additional actions to support their concrete implementation.

AGE warmly welcomes:

  • The approach taken by the report that links the debate on long-term care (LTC) to the broader context of health, social inclusion and the realization of human rights in general;
  • The holistic approach to health;
  • The focus on quality as a European challenge;
  • The increased recognition of the role of informal carers;
  • All ‘suggestions for areas of further work’.

AGE proposes additional actions to strengthen the joint report implementation, in particular to:

  1. Monitor the impact of cost reduction measures through a human rights, social and health assessment in all Member States
  2. Support the development and monitor the quality of long-term care provision in the EU
  3. Adopt an EU action plan against elder abuse
  4. Involve and support stakeholders’ cooperation at all levels to strengthen the implementation of the solutions proposed in the report

AGE’s full response to the joint EC-SPC report is available here.

Additional feedbacks on Ireland and the Netherlands country reports are available here.

Specific thanks to Task force on Dignified ageing members Sarah Mahon, Alvy Dercks, Elisabeth Scatler, Sture Eriksson, Liz Lloyd, Olof Bjorlin, Fifi Groenendijk and AGE Council members for their contributions.

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