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In 1995, Germany added long-term care provisions to the national health care law. The law established a fund which provides benefits either as cash payment to an informal caregiver, payment for community-based services, or payment for institutional care. The program is designed to encourage family care and community-based care in place of institutional care. Three major issues emerged in the implementation of the program. First, a private, for-profit industry of community-based services developed which posed problems in assuring quality of care. Secondly, the narrow scope of the criteria for qualifying for benefits failed to adequately assess the care needs of persons with dementia and some other disabling conditions. Third, the beneficiaries have increasingly declined the cash option in favor of the more expensive option of receiving services, thus threatening the financial viability of the program. Based on interviews conducting in Germany in July 2005, the paper will note the steps taken to address the three issues above as well as to suggest how the current reform of the national health care law might impact on care for the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Community provided a five year grant for the study of family caregiving patterns and supports and services provided to family caregivers across 23 countries in the European Union. The final report of the research was issued in June, 2005 and a conference with representatives from all 23 countries was held in November 2005. Six countries, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Greece, Bulgaria, and Spain, were chosen for indepth analysis based on interviews with 1000 caregivers in each country. These countries represent geographically and culturally Northern, Southern, and Eastern Europe. For the larger sample of 23 countries, the analysis consisted of analyzing social policies and secondary data as well as the use of focus groups.The paper will summarize the major empirical findings and conclude with some of the steps being taken to establish recognition by the European Community of the entitlements of family caregivers,, where caring is recognized as work and offers the same benefits, rights and working conditions enjoyed by other workers. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging population is challenging societies globally to face issues concerning the care for the elderly under postmodern social conditions, where there are high rates of geographic mobility, women participating in the workforce, small families and family instability. Different approaches are found which vary in their reliance on public versus private efforts. This paper will describe some of the differences among countries in Asia as well American approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]