Long-Term Care and Ageing : Case Studies - Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia and Poland
As gains in basic health care increase life expectancy, more people live past the age of 65, a time when the risk of dementia and other degenerative diseases is higher and people are more likely to require long-term care (LTC) services. Whether at...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/783001468016232798/World-Bank-report-long-term-care-and-ageing-case-studies-Bulgaria-Croatia-Latvia-and-Poland http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27848 |
| Summary: | As gains in basic health care increase
life expectancy, more people live past the age of 65, a time
when the risk of dementia and other degenerative diseases is
higher and people are more likely to require long-term care
(LTC) services. Whether at home or in an institution, such
care is an important way to protect the lives and dignity of
a country's elderly citizens. Unfortunately, the cost
of LTC, especially in institutions, can be catastrophic for
families. Without public social protection systems many
people cannot afford the care they need or the high cost of
care sends them and their families into poverty. Thus, LTC
is not only a health issue, but also a fiscal issue and as
the European population ages, it is crucial for states to
develop comprehensive LTC systems that address this
interrelated issue. The next section explores the
demographic background of the Bulgarian population, which is
one of the fastest aging in Europe. This is followed by s
short-description of the macro-economic and fiscal framework
in post-crisis Bulgaria. Next, an overview of LTC service
provisions is given, followed by a section on financing of
LTC services. The last section concludes by introducing some
guiding principles for future policy reforms. |
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