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A rights-based approach for older
people in long-term care
The European WeDO experience
by Maude Luherne, Policy and projects officer
3 April 2014, UN Social forum Geneva
AGE Platform Europe
at a glance
• Set up in 2001, Social NGO with Belgian Statutes
• European Network with about 160 Member
Organisations
• Represents directly over 30 million older people
• Aims to voice and defend the interests of older
people and to raise awareness on the issues that
concern them
• Co-financed by a grant of the EU (DG Justice) and
by its members
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What do we
mean by ‘longterm care’?
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Long-term care in the
EU
Definition (WeDO quality framework for long-term care
services)
“They need to encompass prevention, rehabilitation and
enablement, cure and care, including end-of-life care. They
combine health and social care for activities of daily living
(ADL) such as eating, bathing, dressing, grooming,
housekeeping, and leisure. They also cover the “instrumental
activities of daily living (IADL)” such as managing one’s
finances, shopping, using the telephone, transportation, and in
some countries other activities such as taking medication. They
can be delivered in various settings spanning the continuum
from the beneficiary’s home to intermediate care and (semi-)
residential facilities.”
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Long-term care in the
EU
- Very diverse situations in the EU countries
• We face the same challenges:
- ‘Silos’ approach between health and social care impacting on the objective of
person-centred care and support (different funding, administrations, sources of
information)
- Financial pressure on care systems and on older persons’ incomes (1/5 older
person at risk of poverty), added to lack of adapted environments, risks of social
isolation, etc.
- Lack of support to informal carers, lack of recognition of professional care work
- Quality: what can I expect from the service I receive, what are my rights?
- Lack of adequate support to persons with dementia
- Prevention and fight against elder abuse
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A right to longterm care?
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A vision for longterm care in
Europe
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EUSTaCEA
2008-2010
European Charter of the
rights and responsibilities
of older people in need of
long-term care and
assistance
10 articles: 9 rights, 1
responsibility
+ Accompanying guide
- Translated into 9 languages
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The EUSTACEA project
o The European Charter for older people in need of long-term care
and assistance : Ten articles
• Art. 1: Right to dignity, physical and mental well-being, freedom and
security
• Art. 2: Right to self-determination
• Art.3: Right to privacy
• Art. 4: Right to high quality and tailored care
• Art. 5: Right to personalized information, advice and consent
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The EUSTACEA project
o The European Charter for older people in need of long-term care
and assistance : Ten articles
• Art. 6: Right to continued communication, participation in society and
cultural activity
• Art. 7: Right to freedom of expression and freedom of
thought/conscience: beliefs, culture and religion
• Art. 8: Right to palliative care and support, and respect and dignity in
dying and in death
• Art. 9: Right to redress
• Art. 10: Your responsibilities
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WeDO (2010 2012)
European Quality framework
for long-term care services
- Translated into 11 languages
- 11 quality principles and 7 areas of
action
- Case examples and good
practices
- Methodology for a participatory
approach
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11 ‘Quality principles’, a quality service should be:
• Respectful of human rights and dignity
• Person-centred
• Preventive and rehabilitative
• Available
• Accessible
• Affordable
• Comprehensive
• Continuous
• Outcome-oriented and evidence based
• Transparent
• Gender and culture sensitive
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7 ‘areas of action’, a quality service should contribute to:
• Preventing and fighting elder abuse and neglect
• Ensuring good working conditions and working environment and
investing in human capital
• Empowering older people in need of care and create opportunities for
participation
• Developing adequate physical infrastructure
• Developing a partnership approach
• Developing a system of good governance
• Developing an adequate communication and awareness-raising
The vision
• A rights-based approach to care
European Charter of the rights and responsibilities of older people in
need of long-term care and assistance
• Age-friendly environments and active ageing concepts as key to
drive change
WHO age friendly cities and participatory approach
• Integrated response to care and person-centred approach
Multi-stakeholders approach
• Crucial role of informal carers and need to support them
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A European
movement
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What can WeDO?
- The WeDO partnership, informal network (EU and national
coalitions) in 16 countries
- WeDO2 project (2013-2015) developing training tools
- Inspire EU coordination, inspire national and local stakeholders
- Easily transferable
- www.wedo-partnership.eu
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Thank you for
your attention!
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AGE Platform Europe
Rue Froissart 111
1040 Bruxelles – Belgique
Contact person: Maude Luherne
E-mail: maude.luherne@age-platform.eu
tel. : +32.2.280.14.70
fax : +32.2.280.15.22
www.age-platform.eu
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