National Strategy for Long-term Care
The process of deinstitutionalisation of care for the elderly and persons with disabilities is legally guaranteed through the Social Services Act (SSA). It envisages that existing homes for adults with disabilities will be closed by 1 January 2035 and existing homes for the elderly will be reformed by 1 January 2025 to meet quality standards for social services.
At the same time, the National Strategy for Long-Term Care is under implementation (adopted with CMD No. 2 of 07.01.2014) in accordance with the priorities in the field of social services policies, which are aimed at the development of accessible and quality social and integrated services and integrated support for the disabled and the elderly. Its main goal is to create conditions for independent and decent living for the elderly and people with disabilities through the provision of quality, accessible and sustainable long-term care services according to users’ individual needs, while achieving a better balance between the quality of services and their effective and efficient provision. A serious emphasis in the Strategy is placed on the deinstitutionalization of care for persons with disabilities and the elderly, the development of services in home environment and provision of support to families taking care of dependent family members. Promoting the interaction between social and health services, including the development of innovative cross-sectoral services, as well as the implementation of an integrated approach, are also part of the Strategy priorities. Among the main priorities of the Strategy is the creation of a more effective mechanism for financing of the long-term care and the sustainable increase of financial resources for services in the community and in the home environment.
The Action Plan 2018-2021 for the implementation of the National Strategy included the closure of 10 Homes for adults with disabilities and the creation of 100 new social services for 2,140 users. In line with the policy vision, targeted interventions to ensure equal access to long-term care, to increase the quality and expand the scope of the social services, to support and develop integrated services will continue in the coming years. The implementation of measures to strengthen the capacity of the system is also important. Through adoption of the Action Plan for the period 2022-2027 for the implementation of the National Strategy for Long-Term Care, the second most important stage of the process of deinstitutionalization of care for people with disabilities and the elderly will take place. It is planned to close approximately 60% of the existing Homes for adults with disabilities by the end of 2027. The implementation of the Plan is linked to the specific measures and activities under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.