Long-term care in developed countries and recommendations for Slovak Republic.

The aging of our population represents a most significant demographic change. It represents important challenges and consequences for the nation's economic, social, and health institutions and for the health and well-being of older persons and their families. Old people over 60 are now the most rapidly growing segment of the population and represent 20% of all Slovak inhabitants. Because of the high prevalence of morbidity and disability among the elderly they are the most important consumers of health care and social care services, both extramural and intramural. Long-term care is a relatively closed system of health care and social care services. Initially, long-term care policies were formulated as a response to ageing of the population, which brought about growing needs of elderly people for social care and health care, and was associated with relatively rapid increases of necessary costs. All industrial countries are facing similar problems when it comes to the integration of long-term care. In developed countries, current long-term care focuses on all age groups in need of assistance and support from others due to the limitations caused by their state of health. Long-term care within the public services system does not exist in Slovakia.