Long-term and palliative care at home: skill-mix innovations for enhanced responsiveness and satisfaction of patients and caregivers

Timely access to long-term care and palliative care that takes patients’ individual choices into account has been an area of concern to policy-makers in many European countries. The majority of Europeans wish to receive long-term care in their homes for as long as possible (European Commission, 2007). They are often primarily cared for by their families and supported by health and social care professionals. Moving to a nursing home or a similar institution is the first preference of only approximately 10% of Europeans. As to palliative care, the majority of patients prefer to stay at home under the care of the regular health care providers with whom they often have longstanding relationships.