In Serbia, the long-term care as a system does not actually exist. One part
of the system is regulated through cash benefits, one part through
institutional social care and community-based social services, and one part
is just being established under the health care system. The linkages among
these segments are not strong and there is insufficient awareness of the need
to regard the different parts of the system as being interdependent and
interconnected. According to the different surveys, home care is needed for
the daily functioning of more than 80,000 elderly people, especially for
around 27,000 of those who are completely immobile. More than 300 thousand
elderly persons have indicated that they are in need of some type of
self-care support. By tradition, elderly people in Serbia rely primarily on
family support. Some are getting the state support as well. Research shows
that 62 thousand elderly persons (5 percent) receive attendance allowance;
9,000 elderly are accommodated in institutions (0.7 percent), while 11.7
thousand (1 percent) persons received some type of support through home care
community based services. In addition, in Belgrade there are also 2,000
elderly who are beneficiaries of medical and palliative care at home. The
government expenditures for these purposes can be very roughly estimated at
0.55 percent of GDP, largely for cash benefits (0.37 percent). Considered
over a medium and longer term, the government expenditures on longterm care
in Serbia will inevitably increase significantly, primarily due to an
increase in the number and share of elderly people and the increase in
additional life years spent in ill health or in need of assistance. An
increase in the expenditures will also be influenced by a change in the
family models and the increasing number of elderly that will be living alone,
as well as the diminishing possibilities for reliance on the closest family
members, especially due to emigration flows both at local and national
levels. Finally, it is important not to neglect the effect of emulating more
developed countries, as well as the EU?s pressure to adequately respond to
the needs of the elderly. Therefore, the state and society must promptly
prepare a systematic, comprehensive, timely and fiscally responsible
response. This response must recognize the capacities of all stakeholders,
from family to state and non-state and match the capacities with the
appropriate roles in the system of long-term care provision.
Long-term care of the elderly: Current status, policies and dilemmas
