Abstract
Most European countries recognise that systemic changes are needed in the financing and delivery of long-term care. The current systems, the available resources (financial, human) and the increasing need for long-term care in the context of demographic projections allow only a few possible scenarios for future developments, such as an increase in financial participation from private sources, a reduction in the quality of care, a reduction in the availability of care, deskilling of social service workers, the introduction of new financing systems, changes in solidarity principles or a combination of the above.