[New trends in providing home care for elderly clients]

A progressive form of long-term care of old people with reduced self-sufficiency is home care. It is an alternative of in-patient care and provides services in the client's home. It combines the advantages of lower cost with the possibility to remain in the domestic environment and keep up social contacts. The most important factors which will substantially increase the need of home care are demographic development, the declining availability of potential care providers and possibilities of the family to ensure care, economic pressure and clients' preference. The present state of home care provision does not meet the demands of society nor individual demands of clients. It is important to create a new model of home care which will form an integral part of the social and health care policy of the state. The author discusses in particular the main principles of this care based on principles of state regulated pluralism.