Comparative analysis of senior care policies in selected EU countries

The issue of care for older adults is gaining importance in the context of population ageing in Europe. Demographic projections of the European Union indicate a continuous rise in the share of older persons, affecting health and social care systems, fiscal sustainability, and the quality of life of the ageing generation. This paper conducts a comparative analysis of current trends in long-term care in four European Union countries - Malta, Italy, Sweden, and Spain, which record the highest life expectancy at birth among their populations. The aim is to identify common features of successful models and assess the potential to transfer those elements to other contexts. The findings underscore the importance of community-based care, strong support for informal caregivers, and investment in prevention and healthy ageing. These results provide inspiration for policy development in other countries, including Slovakia, where an integrated and functional framework for long-term care is lacking.