Unequal Inequalities: The Stratification of the Use of Formal (Long-Term) Care Among Older Europeans

Authors: M. Albertini  & E. Pavolini                                      Published:  July 2015

The paper examines the extents to which (a) personal and family resources influence the likelihood of using formal care in later life; (b) the unequal access to formal care is mediated by differences in the availability of informal support; (c) the relationship between individuals’ resources and the use of formal care in old age varies across care regimes and is related to the institutional design of long-term care policies.

Findings: Care systems based on services provision grant higher access to formal care and create lower inequalities whereas countries where cash-for-care programs and family responsibilities are more prominent register inequalities in the use of formal care.

To read more visit The Gerontological Society of America.