Danish Home Care Policy and the Family: Implications for the US

The success of Denmark's community-based experimentation with new models of home care and housing for the elderly resulted in a national decision to eliminate new construction of nursing homes and increase access to publicly funded home care. Lingeringconcern that the provision of paid assistance for the elderly could undermine family structure is allayed by the findings of a recent survey: Threefourths of the elderly report seeing their children on a weekly or more frequent basis. Findings from the Danish experience provide evidence that community-based services can aid family caregivers, enable the frail elderly to live in the setting of their choice, and be cost-effective from a public policy perspective.