Partnering with the EU to strengthen long-term care systems

WHO/Europe is working with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion to ensure all people across Europe can access high-quality long-term care services when needed, where needed and in alignment with their preferences and expectations. This is essential to promote well-being, autonomy and quality of life for growing numbers of people living with functional limitations (many of whom are older people) and for their caregivers.

The number of people with care needs in the European Union is expected to rise from about 31 million in 2019 to 35 million in 2030 and 38 million in 2050. This accelerated increase in demand far exceeds the availability of care services across Europe. The unmet needs for care that result from this mismatch between demand and supply limit the ability of European countries to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, across all ages. Furthermore, gaps in long-term care service delivery can place significant pressure on informal caregivers, thwarting social and economic development and perpetuating gender and socio-economic inequalities.

Supporting countries in strengthening their long-term care systems and improving the accessibility, quality, resilience and sustainability of service delivery is a central goal of the EC-WHO partnership for better long-term care. By enhancing care systems to better respond to the needs of the population, leaving no one behind, we promote well-being, autonomy and quality of life for people living with functional limitations and for their caregivers.

This partnership focuses on:

• strengthening assessment and monitoring of long-term care systems and reforms;
• developing a comparable and reliable evidence base, through a participatory, multi-stakeholder approach; and
• improving access to information and support tools for informal caregivers through an interactive open-access course.