The EESC firmly believes that a care model for dependent older people should be mainstreamed into EU policymaking, given that the proportion of the population aged over 80 is expected to more than double by 2050.

The pandemic has revealed failures in this area and the Commission's initiative to establish a new European Care Strategy is a step in the right direction, in the EESC's view. However, consultative institutions and European civil society organisations representing older people have to have a say.

In its own-initiative opinion Towards a new care model for older people: learning from COVID-19, adopted at the January plenary session, the EESC took a closer look at the various models of long-term care for people over the age of 65 who have lost their autonomy or are dependent on institutional care homes.

Miguel Ángel Cabra De Luna, rapporteur for the opinion, stressed: "Care for all older people must be a cornerstone of EU policies, linked to compliance with the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan."

The EESC proposed setting up a European Observatory for care for older people, which would make it possible to collect sufficient statistical data, compare good practices between different State models, identify structural weaknesses in national systems, provide technical support to facilitate the adoption of EU political guidelines and help implement the European Pillar of Social Rights.

In addition, the EESC opinion called for a European Year of Older People, as recognition of the fundamental rights of older people and their contributions to society, as laid down in Article 25 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

During the pandemic, the rights and needs of older people were only partially taken into account, bringing to light the conceptual, structural and functional shortcomings in care models for older people. In a broader context, this situation helped to further highlight the fact that population ageing is a key strategic challenge for the EU and its Member States. (at)