Alzheimer Europe organises European Parliament lunch debate on long-term care

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Marina Yannakoudadis, MEP (UK, ECR) and Member of the European Alzheimer Alliance hosted Alzheimer Europe’s 9th lunch debate with the European Parliament which was dedicated to European activities on long-term care. Presentations were made by Arnaud Senn, Policy Officer, Social Protection, Social Services, European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities and Wojciech Dziworski, Senior Economist and Political Analyst, Innovation and Health, Ageing, European Commission, DG Health and Consumers.

Mr Senn gave an overview of the common objectives between healthcare and long-term care since 2006, the recognition of long-term care on the EU health agenda and the main policy challenges to be addressed. He said that all issues surrounding long-term care are considered at EU level within the context of the Open Method of Coordination and that most recently, the European Commission had launched the Active and Healthy Ageing Innovation Partnership (AHAIP)..The aim of the Partnership is to add two healthy life years to the average life expectancy by 2020. The Paper should be issued at the end of this year. DG Employment and Social Affairs is currently working on a Staff Working Paper on long-term care which will map the needs across the EU and identify the challenges faced in different Member States.

Mr Dziworski discussed how Alzheimer’s disease fits into the AHAIP and explained that one of the challenges the Partnership attempts to address is that of the current unsustainable health systems within Europe. He cited the fact that aged-related spending is projected to increase by 4.75% points of GDP by the year 2060, whilst at the same time the workforce of the care sector is shrinking with a lack of health specialists being available. He said that if the aim of adding two healthy life years is achieved, that it will result in a triple win situation whereby there is not only an increase in healthy life years and quality of life, but also an increase in EU competitiveness and, at the same time, a decrease of health costs.

Issues surrounding Alzheimer’s disease can be addressed within the Partnership and Mr Dziworksi highlighted the actions areas are innovation in (a) support of people’s health and well being (e.g. prevention, early diagnosis, treatment etc), (b) support of collaborative and integrated health care systems and services for older people (e.g. continuum of care, home and long-term care, training of workforce etc) and (c) products and services for active and healthy ageing (e.g. reduction of unnecessary use of hospital services). If these can be addressed, he believes that the overall aim of adding two healthy life years can be achieved.

Mr Dziworksi ended his presentation by explaining that at this stage a mapping exercise is required so that everyone can be made aware of the projects on healthy ageing which already exist. He cited some existing projects (e.g. in Denmark, the Netherlands and UK) on healthy ageing which could be discussed, adapted and used by different Member States.

Lively discussions ensued about long-term care, including topics such as:

• the inclusion of end-users in the planning process [Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP (Finland), Alzheimer Europe Board Member and member of the European Alzheimer’s Alliance],
• how the Commission will work to ensure best practices are shared throughout Member States [Frieda Brepoels, MEP (Belgium) and member of the European Alzheimer’s Alliance],
• the importance of including end-users throughout the whole process (Nis-Pieter Nissen, Alzheimer Denmark and Heike von Lützau-Hohlbein from the German Alzheimer Association and Chairperson of Alzheimer Europe),
• the sharing of ideas regarding long-term care from national Alzheimer associations (Annette Dumas, Public Affairs Officer, Alzheimer Europe)
• consideration of ways in which higher value can be found for people who work in the area of long-term care (Jean Georges, Executive Officer, Alzheimer Europe)
• the inclusion of the European Parliament’s own initiative report [Marina Yannakoudakis, MEP (UK)] and member of the European Alzheimer’s Alliance] and
• de-stigmatisation (Heike von Lützau-Hohlbein).

Heike von Lützau-Hohlbein closed the debate by thanking all for participants for their interest and participation and affirming the important role which end-users have when acting as advocates on behalf of others.