The ESN long-term care working group concluded its planned programme of work after a series of four discussion forums in 2008. It brought together social directors and senior professionals in older people's services to address contemporary practice and strengthen ESN’s contribution to policy development in Europe.

Managers discussing long term care

Public managers of long-term care (LTC) services are constantly making choices about the future of long-term care in an ageing Europe. They are striving to give older people greater choice over their care too.

How can local public social services support older people to, in the words of a group member, live 'unexceptional' lives? How can they help people to continue living their ordinary life as much as possible while meeting their needs?

Local public social services are developing new relationships with independent care providers, raising questions about who should be responsible for quality.
 

Get to know LTC group members

Every day I come across new experiences,” says Reinhard Pohlmann, head of older people’s services for the city of Dortmund.

Commitment to a fairer, more just society” is what drives Alexis Jay, chief social work inspector for Scotland.

Getting things done, motivating people to work with drive and enthusiasm” motivates Luc Kupers, director of social services of Ghent.
 

Promoting Dignity and Inclusion for Older People

“For me, it’s all about civic leadership,” said LTC group member Steve Wilds, reflecting on the ESN seminar Commissioning for Quality held in Brussels, November 2008. The LTC group shaped this seminar, which was all about the development of new relationships with independent care providers, and includes three case studies from Poland, Spain and Netherlands.

LTC group members contribute to EU policy review

“Access is too often reported in financial terms only,” says Stephen Barnett, senior policy officer with ESN. Members assessed national long-term care policies for 2008-10, as presented in the National Reports on Strategies for Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2008-10. Download report.

Contact

To find out more about the group's work please email Stephen Barnett in the ESN Secretariat using firstname.lastname@esn-eu.org