Brussels, 14/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - The issue of long-term healthcare, a problem confronting all developed societies, presents not only unknowns for the future, but also some certainties. The number of people aged over 80 in 20 years time, the percentage of the population requiring long-term healthcare and how much of the cost of care should be borne by families are among the unknown parameters. However, what is certain is that access to long-term healthcare for those who need it will have to be planned for, every effort will have to be made to ensure that people remain in good health for as long as possible, and there will have to be different kinds of healthcare (formal, informal, at home, or in care centres depending on the needs and wishes of each individual). In addition, consideration will have to be given on how best to ensure that those who are no longer independent remain part of society. These were the broad lines of the conference on long-term healthcare in Brussels on 13 September, presented by Commissioner Vladimir Spidla during the round table discussions with which it closed.
The challenges and the expectations of citizens are the same on both sides of the Atlantic, Mr Spidla said, whether it be responsibility shared by families and public authorities, training sufficient numbers of care professionals, provision of home care (which most people would prefer), ensuring that care providers have sufficient social cover or the promotion of an active and healthy lifestyle (eating, physical activity, good living and environmental conditions) to remain fit and healthy for as long as possible, thus reducing the need for long-term care. Mr Spidla said, “Within the EU, we think of healthcare and long-term care in terms of social rights”, and “access for all to healthcare services is the cornerstone of what we call the European social model”. “It is impossible to speak about access for all without speaking about solidarity. Access for all and solidarity are the two sides of the coin in our approach to most social problems. However, the emphasis placed on solidarity and rights does not in any way indicate that there are no obligations,” he added, going on to explain: (1) there is an obligation to fund these services through social insurance, which shows the individual's financial contribution; (2) there is an element of social responsibility at the level of the family or the community; (3) everyone has a degree of responsibility: the attitude of the individual that leads us to responsible behaviour is of the greatest importance in all that is to do with eating, exercise and health. He concluded, “The systems that work best are the ones which have found the right balance between access for all, solidarity and public support, collective action and individual responsible attitude”.