Strengthening Integrated Long-Term Care in Europe

Project description

Laurel aims to help building better systems for integrated long-term care in the EU27. The project will analyse existing long-term care systems and gather insights into the regional and gender differences of care service delivery.  

Using this intelligence, Laurel will both produce actionable policy recommendations in a White Paper as well as a set of guiding tools to help policymakers from all European care systems deliver more effective and equitable care.

Why the project?

Long-term care services support individuals who require assistance with daily living tasks, including people in need of ongoing nursing care. (These needs often arise when people experience either physical or/and mental health challenges.) While disability affects people of all ages, the likelihood of experiencing their effects increases with age. As life expectancy extends, younger individuals with disabilities may find themselves in need of long-term care for prolonged periods. These implications highlight the importance of considering a life-course perspective in care planning. 

Laurel aims to identify leading innovative and integrated care solutions that improve the quality of long-term care. It seeks to address and reduce inequalities in care access based on location and gender. A key goal of the project is to favour services provided either at home or in the community. Indeed, Laurel emphasises a person-centred approach as a fundamental principle. 

EHTEL’s role

EHTEL is actively involved in all aspects of the Laurel project and it takes the lead in conducting stakeholder analysis and managing potential benefits. Its roles include: 

• Identifying the most effective ways to reach, influence, and engage stakeholders. 
• Prioritizing stakeholder groups and crafting messages tailored to each group's specific interests and needs.  
• Helping to build a community of stakeholders and interested parties around the project's goals and activities.  
• Seeking opportunities to extend the influence and benefits of the project's outcomes. 
• Fostering strong networks and collaborations with similar projects and peers. 
• Playing a key role in organising a Policy Roundtable with the project coordinator and policy officers to collect insightful feedback and recommendations from a wide range of projects on similar topics.  
• Aiming, overall, to enhance significantly the provision of integrated, long-term care throughout Europe. 

What’s in Laurel for EHTEL’s members

Building on the association's comprehensive involvement, EHTEL members will have the opportunity to contribute to the future of integrated long-term care in three ways: by offering their technical expertise; presenting their innovative solutions; and participating actively in the creation of actionable policies that support the adoption and strengthening of integrated long-term care. 

This participation extends to organising, and getting engaged in customized workshops, webinars, and focus groups. These types of activities will provide a platform for EHTEL members to share their insights and expertise. 

Perspective and next steps

Laurel is a three-year EU Horizon research and innovation project funded through the European Research Executive Agency. It involves nine organizations - six of them are European-wide networks and associations or entities from the health and social care sector.   

The project will end in January 2027. It is expected to involve a wide range of health and care stakeholders, including citizens and users.   

A first Laurel webinar was held on 16 May 2024 about the digital transformation of long-term care. Its content focused on innovations from the digital field. More information. 

For more information about the Laurel project.

 

 

This project (Project 101132643 - LAUREL - Actionable policies for adopting high-quality integrated long-term care) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 875215. The content of this website reflects only the Laurel groups’ views and the European Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.