Status quo and Potentials for the Future of Long-term Care Services in Austria

Due to demographic change an efficient design of publicly funded long-term care services becomes increasingly important. A new law on public care funds (Pflegefondsgesetz) introduced in 2011 gives statutory priority to the extension of mobile home care over residential care. However, according to recent literature and a survey of providers of long-term care services throughout Austria conducted by WIFO, mobile home and residential care can be regarded as substitutes to a limited degree only. More¬over, to successfully deal with the budgetary challenges associated with the impending increase in demand, also the prevalent inefficiencies in long-term care services with respect to needs-based service allocation and provision have to be reduced. In order to cover the future demand for care workers, also the attractiveness of long-term care professions has to be increased substantially.