Across Europe, countries are confronted with the challenge of how to care for an ageing population with limited resources. This challenge has become even more acute as the tightening constraints on public expenditure in the aftermath of the financial crisis and the recession which accompanied it reinforce the effect of demographic trends. Although countries have quite different systems of care, there is a common need to find ways to limit the demand for care whilst at the same time ensuring access to good quality care for all those that need it without putting unsustainable stress on public resources. The purpose of this Peer Review is to stimulate debate and ideas which will help develop a strategy to assist this process.

Host Country : Sweden

Place and date : Stockholm, 20. - 21.10.2011

Peer countries : Bulgaria - Cyprus - Denmark - Estonia - Germany - Luxembourg - Slovenia

Stakeholders : AGE, Caritas

In Sweden, a report on "The future need for care" investigated the logistics involved in maintaining a high-level of health care for the elderly in the context of heightening demand and no corresponding increase in resources. While in principle it is possible to cater for higher demand, the extent of demographic change makes prompt action across a variety of areas absolutely crucial. Governments need to explore new ways to reduce demand by increasing years of healthy life and at the same time improve the cost-effectiveness of service delivery, both of which require making good use of technical and medical developments, such as by developing mobile services so that older people do not need to travel to receive care.

Peer Review manager

Ms Renate Haupfleisch (ÖSB Consulting GmbH)