Long-Term Care Services and the Role of Informal Care

Long-term health care in Greece is covered by a variety of health structures. In contrast to other northern European countries, it is incomplete and fragmented or even absent. The demand for long-term care has been addressed through informal caregiving, provided by family members supporting voluntarily or caregivers getting informal compensation. In recent years, efforts have been made to restructure long-term health care and to introduce services and structures that are conducive to this purpose. In our country there is no corresponding planning or any support for informal care. The provision of informal care has multiple benefits, mainly financial and organizational, for patients, health systems and the state. Compared to Greece, other European countries support informal care through various financial, insurance and social benefits for its providers, thus favoring and facilitating their work. Given that the need for long-term health care and, by extension, the need for informal care will increase continuously and exponentially over time, it is important to recognize and meet the needs of informal caregivers and to formalize this form of care provision. The development of a policy of formal recognition of informal care and the establishment of supportive measures, such as financial assistance, insurance, and education will ensure the sustainability of long-term health care and the health system in general.