Invest in the overlooked and unsung: Build sustainable people-centred long-term care in the wake of COVID-19

‘This pandemic has shone a spotlight on the overlooked and undervalued corners of our society. Across the European Region, long-term care has often been notoriously neglected. But it should not be this way. Looking to the future, transitioning to a new normal, we have a clear investment case for setting up integrated, person-centred long-term care systems in each country.

‘We have inherited the European rights, values and opportunities that define us from the generations that came before – so we must care for them. It is our duty to leave no-one behind. We must step up. So what must we do? (1) Empower care workers (2) Change how long-term care facilities operate and (3) Build systems that prioritise people’s needs.’

This is a press statement by Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

Read here (WHO, April 23, 2020)