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In many cases home care is no viable option without the efforts of clients and informal carers. So, an understanding of home care systems would not be complete without taking into account the role of clients and informal carers. As resources and criteria of eligibility are very different across countries, clients differ in their dependency, frailty and availability of informal care. In some countries recipients of home care more behave like critical consumers knowing their rights than those in other countries. Henceforth, systems may differ in the way clients are informed, can choose and, if necessary, can submit complaints. Another difference concerns the acknowledgement and role of informal carers, which is reflected, for instance, in the possibility for informal carers to be supported (e.g. with respite care). Here again, it turns out that very little comparative information is available at this point. On the basis of results of a literature review and from consultations with experts across Europe, the EC-financed EURHOMAP project has developed an extensive set of indicators to map home care systems, including the position and situation of clients and informal carers. EURHOMAP partners collected the data in 2009 and early 2010, in collaboration with experts in 31 European countries. Results were described in uniformly structured country reports and fed back to national experts for validation. An additional source of information was the answers on questions related to four ‘vignettes’ (hypothetical case descriptions of home living people in need of care). These questions were answered by a panel of key informants in each country. In most countries the largest share among recipients of home care consists of people above the age of 65 years. The number of recipients of home care varied enormously. In some countries home is almost limited to the elderly, while in other countries a wider range of services is provided to a wider vaiety of client and patient groups, inc, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Authors + 10> B Bolibar

Rotterdam, the Netherlands Authors + 10> B Bolibar

Demand for health and social care services in the community will grow as a result of the ageing of populations across Europe. At present, however, very little is known about the preparedness of national home care systems for changing demand, which is not just quantitative but also qualitative in kind. There is a need for insight into the state of home care, including policy and regulation and aspects of financing, organisation and provision of services. Methods & materials On the basis of results of a literature review and from consultations with experts across Europe, the EURHOMAP study has developed an extensive set of indicators to map home care systems. The indicators focus on: policy and regulation; financing; organisation & service delivery; and clients & informal carers. EURHOMAP partners collected the data in 2009 and early 2010, in collaboration with experts in 31 European countries. Results were described in uniformly structured country reports and fed back to national experts for validation. An additional source of information was the answers on questions related to four ‘vignettes’ (hypothetical case descriptions of home living people in need of care). These questions were answered by a panel of key informants in each country. Results The presentation will address the following topics: the availability of a policy vision on home care in the countries; how clients can access home care; how the quality of home care is maintained; which governmental levels are responsible for various aspects of home care; public versus private models of provision, including competition; the way care is monitored. It turns out that home care systems widely Symposium Abstracts 4th Eur Nursing Congress, 4-7 Oct 2010 vary in their degree of development and that the structures of governance, regulation and models of provision are very heterogeneous. An aspect of home care that creates challenges at all levels is the mix of social, nursing and health services, which a, Conference held in Rotterdam Authors + 10> B Bolibar

Rotterdam, the Netherlands Authors + 10> B Bolibar

Rotterdam, the Netherlands Authors + 10> B Bolibar