Informal care, poverty and social exclusion

Europe’s overall increase in life expectancy and ageing demographics are accompanied by a growing prevalence of chronic conditions and a booming demand for care in all age groups. As a result, public expenditure on long-term care (LTC) in European countries is projected to almost double by 2070 according to the European Commission1. These projections nevertheless fail to consider the costs borne by care recipients themselves and their informal carers, or the value of the informal care on which many countries continue to rely for the provision of care. Besides, it is unclear whether the expected increase in public expenditure will suffice to meet the needs of older people, or protect them from the risk of catastrophic expenditures arising from meeting those same needs.