Policy Review: Supporting the provision of affordable and high-quality professional home care for later life
On 25–26 February 2026, the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research facilitated an online Bridge Building (BB) Policy Review focusing on how to support the provision of affordable and high-quality professional home care for older people living at home.
The event brought together around 60 representatives from ministries, institutions and stakeholders from participating BB countries and peer countries to exchange experiences and discuss ways to further develop professional home care systems.
The programme featured perspectives from several countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership region. Oleg Barcari (Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova) presented an overview of home care services in Moldova, while representatives from Armenia and Fatmir Sabriu, State Secretary from North Macedonia, shared national experiences with home assistance and care services.
Regional and comparative insights were provided by Ilaria Mariotti (UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub), who presented research on professional home care in ageing societies and gender dynamics across several countries, and Nataša Todorović (Red Cross Serbia), who discussed accessibility, financing and promising practices in home care in the Western Balkans.
Participants also explored broader European policy developments. Selma Kadi (European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research) presented the European Care Strategy and areas for improvement in long-term care systems. Further international perspectives included Annika Hassenkam (Ministry of Senior Citizens, Denmark), who introduced the Danish long-term care reform, and Manuel Veguín García (IMSERSO, Spain), who presented a new community-based long-term care model in Spain.
Through working group discussions, participants exchanged experiences on national strategies and promising practices aimed at ensuring accessible, affordable and high-quality professional home care for older people. The discussions highlighted the value of international policy dialogue and peer learning in addressing the growing demand for long-term care services.
