Care system for dependent elderly people in the Walloon Region – Current situation and future challenges

French speaking chamber on June 16, 2021

The Belgian Court of Audit examined the care system for dependent elderly people in the Walloon Region by focusing on the two main instruments operated by the Walloon public authorities, namely home care and institutional care and accommodation. The supply of care services hardly meets the expressed demand and such unmet demand cannot even be assessed due to a lack of reliable data. Besides, the current system does not guarantee appropriate care for the most dependent. The measures taken to anticipate changing needs do not fully address the challenges of population ageing, neither in quantity nor in quality. Finally, the Court noted that strategic and forward thinking may not guarantee that the most efficient and effective solutions will be implemented