Reforms in Long-Term Care Policies in Europe [recurso electrónico] Investigating Institutional Change and Social Impacts

Over the last two decades, many changes have happened to the social welfare policies of various industrial countries. Citizens have seen their pensions, unemployment benefits, and general healthcare policies shrink as “belt tightening” measures are enforced. But in contrast, long-term care has seen a general growth in public financing, an expansion of beneficiaries, and, more generally, an attempt to define larger social responsibilities and related social rights. The aim of this book is to describe and interpret the changes introduced in long-term care policies in Western Europe. The volume argues that recent reforms have brought about an increasing convergence in LTC policies. Most of the new programs have developed a new general approach to long-term care, based on a better integration of social care and health care. The book explores increasing public support given to family care work (in the past, the family would take care of the elderly or infirm) and increasing growth and recognition of a extended social care market (by which care has shifted from a moral obligation based on family reciprocity to a paid, professional activity). A new social care arrangement has therefore been developing in Western countries, based on a new mix of family obligations, market provision, and public support. In order to understand such changes, this analysis will take into account the social and economical impact of these reforms. Reforms in Long Term Care Policies in Europe describes and interprets the changes recently introduced in long-term care policies in Western Europe. The volume argues that recent reforms have brought about an increasing convergence in LTC policies across Western Europe. Most of the new programs have developed a new general approach to long-term care, based on a better integration of social care and health care. Over the last two decades, many changes have happened to the social welfare policies of various industrial countries. Citizens have seen their pensions, unemployment benefits, and general healthcare policies shrink as "belt tightening" measures are enforced. But in contrast, long-term care has seen a general growth in public financing, an expansion of beneficiaries, and, more generally, an attempt to define larger social responsibilities and related social rights. The book explores increasing public support given to family care work (in the past, the family would take care of the elderly or infirm) and increasing growth and recognition of a extended social care market (by which care has shifted from a moral obligation based on family reciprocity to a paid, professional activity). A new social care arrangement has therefore been developing in Western countries, based on a new mix of family obligations, market provision, and public support. In order to understand such changes, the analysis in Reforms in Long Term Care Policies in Europe will take into account the social and economical impact of these reforms. Reforms in Long Term Care Policies in Europe is a great resource for health-care practitioners, demographers, public policy makers, public health scientists, gerontologists, researchers in health care management, and anyone interested in the impact of aging on societies Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Reforms in Long-Term Care Policies in EuropeAn:Introduction....Pages 3-22 Long-Term Care Systems in Comparative Perspective: Care Needs, Informal and Formal Coverage, and Social Impacts in European Countries....Pages 23-52 Front Matter....Pages 53-53 Long-Term Care in Sweden: Trends, Actors, and Consequences....Pages 55-78 Trajectories of Change in Danish Long Term Care Policies—Reproduction by Adaptation through Top-Down and Bottom-Up Reforms....Pages 79-95 Long-Term Care Reforms in the Netherlands....Pages 97-115 Radical Institutional Change and Incremental Transformation: Long-Term Care Insurance in Germany....Pages 117-138 Steps Toward a Long-Term Care Policy in France: Specificities, Process, and Actors....Pages 139-157 Long-Term Care Reform in Austria: Emergence and Development of a New Welfare State Pillar....Pages 159-177 Long Term Care Reform in England: A Long and Unfinished Story....Pages 179-200 Long-Term Care in Spain: Between Family Care Tradition and the Public Recognition of Social Risk....Pages 201-219 Long-Term Care Italian Policies: A Case of Inertial Institutional Change....Pages 221-241 Long-Term Care Reform in Central–Eastern Europe: The Case of the Czech Republic....Pages 243-265 Front Matter....Pages 267-267 Institutional Change in Long-Term Care: Actors, Mechanisms and Impacts....Pages 269-314 Back Matter....Pages 315-317