Caregiving: Elderly

Most elderly people with different stages of incapacities want to be cared for in their own homes. Often caregivers are spouses of the same age, with their own health concerns or incapacities. These elderly couples may be supported by siblings and their spouses, other relatives or friends, neighbors, or in-home care. Because the number of elderly people is rapidly growing in every country, it is important to create sufficient home support for elderly people with growing incapacities to maintain their quality of life. If home support is not sufficient, the need for long-term care beds in hospitals or institutions grows. Insufficient or improperly allocated home support is an expensive way to care for elderly people with growing incapacities. In this entry, the focus is on ...