"Aging with dignity" in Europe: the fears of Caritas Europe
"Population growth is a marker of the global trend of our time as the demand for long-term care is accelerating and public spending is unfortunately not keeping pace."
Caritas Europe has just published its latest report, Aging with dignity: Challenges of long-term care in Europe. The organization analyzes the challenges of the care sector in 13 European countries and calls for more investment, better working conditions for carers and better access to care for those who need it.
According to experts, the current complex situation is characterized by severe job shortages and a lack of affordable care services. “Higher wages, better working conditions, regularization of informal and irregular caregivers as well as more investment in non-profit care providers are among the most urgent remedies to ensure accessible and affordable quality care. for all", can we read in their communicated.
"We are convinced that respecting the dignity of older people means enabling them to live independently for as long as possible, offering them services and support close to their needs and wishes", explains Maria Nyman, Secretary General Assembly of Caritas Europa, "to do this, Europe must fundamentally reform its long-term care sector, giving it the recognition and support it deserves, in order to truly allow everyone to age with dignity".
According to Caritas Europe, there are currently more people in need of care than places and care staff available. The organization also deplores the fact that public spending "does not keep pace". Shannon Pfohman, Advocacy Director at Caritas Europe, spoke on this subject to Vatican News.
"Population growth is a marker of the global trend of our time as the demand for long-term care is accelerating and public spending is unfortunately not keeping pace."
MC
