Care for the Elderly in European Countries: An International Comparison

The way elderly persons living at home are cared for is changing. By placing more emphasis on the responsibility of family members in caring for needy older persons, the Netherlands is moving towards a family-oriented care model. But how is this category of elderly persons cared for in other countries in Europe?

Based on a major survey of nine European countries, this book looks at the impairments experienced by older persons in these countries, the informal networks to which they have access, and the help they receive in practice. While there are many differences between the various countries, there are also many similarities.

In the Mediterranean countries, responsibility for looking after the elderly lies not just with the nuclear family, but with the entire extended family; the role of the government is very limited. Today, however, this familial model is under great pressure, and it is only through the wide employment of immigrants in providing familial care that the government has so far been able to limit its responsibilities.

The Netherlands is found to be comparable to the Scandinavian countries where the government plays an important role in supporting older persons in need of help. In many respects, the situation in the Netherlands is more favorable. There are relatively few older persons with disabilities in the Netherlands, moreover, these older persons have access to a relatively large informal network and also receive formal help frequently. Despite this, there remain many older persons with disabilities, including in the Netherlands, who receive no help.

Each of the authors is employed with the Social and Cultural Planning Office of the Netherlands.