Page 11 - Elderly care and housing demand in the EU

Ranking 4: Care and home support potential

2.4 Less use of professional elderly care in Eastern Europe

Cultural differences influence consumer preferences. The consumption of professional support or care is Older people in Belgium and Italy value care and home
We examine how the elderly’s preferences for care lowest in the three Eastern European countries. In these support the most
and home support services varies across the countries. countries, as well as in Italy, non-professional support Belgium and Italy are in the top 3 of the countries in
and care (provided by relatives or friends) is of greater which older people value care and home support the
Western Europeans receive professional elderly care importance than professional care. most. People in the UK, the Czech Republic, Poland and
and support more often than Eastern Europeans Germany do not consider these services to be as
Our survey shows that elderly people in Belgium, the Care and home support are essential services for essential as people in other countries do. The
Netherlands, Spain and France receive professional care European elderly preferences between care and home support are
and home support more often than elderly people in Elderly people across Europe strongly value household strongly linked. Spain is the only country where these
the other countries. Germany and the UK are the only support and care. Compared with other expenses, only preferences differ greatly, in favour of home support.
countries surveyed in which elderly care is more personal hygiene and food and drinks are more
common than home support. important to them in general.

Eastern European elderly receive professional care In Italy and Belgium, care services are often ...as is also the case for home support
and home support less often than others regarded as an essential expense… Survey answer: % of 50+ respondents that would
Survey question: Does your oldest (55+)parent currently Survey answer: % of 50+ respondents that would absolutely not want to cut back on home support
receive elderly care or home support on a regular basis? absolutely not want to cut back on care expenses when expenses when they are 75 years old or over*
they are 75 years old or over*
Belgium 8% 7%
Netherlands 8% 5% Italy 25% Spain 27%
Spain 8% 5% Belgium 24% Belgium 24%
France 8% 5% Romania 24% Italy 23%
Italy 5% 4% Netherlands 21% Austria 21%
UK 3% 5% France 21% Romania 21%
Germany 1% 6% Austria 15% Netherlands 18%
Austria 3% 3% Poland 13% France 18%
Poland 4% 2% Germany 12% UK 13%
Romania 3% 2% Czech Rep. 11% Germany 13%
Czech Rep. 2% 2% Spain 10% Czech Rep. 12%
UK 6% Poland 11%
Yes, for most part household help (professional provider)
Yes, for most part physical care (professional provider)
Source: ING Economics Source: ING Economics Source: ING Economics
*max. two answers allowed, out of eleven answer options *max. two answers allowed, out of eleven answer options
ING Economics Department 11 Elderly care and housing demand in the EU – May 2019