[Attitude of the elderly concerning informal home care and policy for the aged]

Recent policy for the elderly focuses on keeping them in their own homes as long as possible, mainly in order to lower the costs of institutional care. This means an increase of care given by family and other informal caregivers. Which kind of care do the elderly prefer? Two viewpoints are presented which question the frequently presumed preference of informal care by the elderly. Two studies, one in an urban and one in a rural area show the ambivalence of the elderly towards informal care. About 50% would personally prefer informal care over professional care, while only 21% appears to think it is better for the elderly to be cared for by one's children than by professionals. About 25% indicates not to know whom to prefer. There is a correlation with age and degree of urbanisation. The preference of informal care is greater the older one is in the rural area. The same applies to people with children, with children living near by and with children who visit their parents frequently. Future expectations of an increasing number of older people living alone, and without children, will counteract the recent policy directions mentioned above.