New challenges in ageing: home care

Most nations are undergoing two fundamental demographic changes: concentration of their population in cities and accelerated pace of population ageing. The fastest-growing population is that 85 years and over. Morbidity increases with advancing age, functional capacities decrease; this results in decreased performance of activities of daily liver and need for services. The challenge is particularly strong in urban areas. Modern societies seek solutions in maintaining the elderly in their homes through home care programmes for those who are functionally impaired, homebound, and need support in home-making and home nursing. Home care is firmly established in programmes for the elderly. In order to become a scientific discipline home care has to define its boundaries, identify clients by careful multidisciplinary assessment, provide answers regarding its cost-effectiveness, evaluate outcomes of home caring develop indicators of high-quality care and advise appropriate home care technology, which is affordable and accessible. Home care for the elderly population living in remote rural areas is one of the future challenges.