Elsevier

Geriatric Nursing

Volume 26, Issue 6, November–December 2005, Pages 366-371
Geriatric Nursing

Feature article
Health and Social Care Policy for the Elderly in Belgium

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2005.09.019Get rights and content

Current Belgian health care policy for the elderly can be classified broadly into institutional care, community care, and home care. Economic restrictions, smaller families, increased employment among women, geographic distances between family members, and the preference of the elderly to remain at home are factors challenging Belgian policy makers and health professionals to restructure the current health care system and provide integrated holistic health and social care to the elderly. These challenges are being addressed through initiatives to customize care for the elderly at home, in the community, or in care environments by improving coordination of care, programs of support for geriatric care and dementia, and research into new accommodation and health solutions.

Section snippets

Health Insurance System

The Belgian social security system is based on a “solidarity principle.” Payments by people who are employed cover those who are unemployed or retired. The Belgian compulsory health insurance system, an integral part of the Belgian social security system, covers almost the entire population.

Health Care Responsibilities

The government plays a crucial role in the health care regulation process through financing structure. However, since 1980, the responsibilities have been shared between the government and the Dutch-,

Care Infrastructure Overview

The elderly care infrastructure comprises hospital care, short- and long-term residential care, and home care and community services.

Policy Challenges

Aging has changed in modern times. Today a more optimistic perspective about the elderly is emerging, emphasizing an older person with remarkable physical and mental fitness and living in satisfying housing with adequate income.20 However, Belgium is confronted with the problem of how to best address the needs of the frail, vulnerable elderly. The Belgium health system requires change to create and sustain an effective integrated system of care, which is obviously easier to design than to

Conclusion

The number and proportion of older people in Belgium is rising sharply. This increase is projected to continue into at least the middle of the 21st century and will have a huge impact on developments in the health care system. Older adults receive health and related social services along the continuum of care in outpatient, in-home, community-based, and institutional settings. Fragmentation between services and poor communication among health professionals are still commonplace, however. Also,

ANTONIA ARNAERT, PhD, MPA, RN, is an assistant professor at McGill University School of Nursing in Montreal, Canada.

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  • Cited by (0)

    ANTONIA ARNAERT, PhD, MPA, RN, is an assistant professor at McGill University School of Nursing in Montreal, Canada.

    BERNADETTE VAN DEN HEUVEL, RN, is the coordinator for Elderly Care at GasthuisZusters in Wilrijk, Belgium.

    TARSI WINDEY, RN, is the sector coordinator for Elderly Care at the VVI in Brussels, Belgium.

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