The report examines the policies implemented by countries with well-developed formal long-term care (LTC) systems to support informal carers, as well as the challenges these countries face in expanding and improving such support. Using an international benchmarking approach, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, and the Netherlands were selected as case studies. These countries were chosen because they combine relatively high LTC expenditure with favourable outcomes for informal carers, while representing different types of LTC systems.
To develop a comprehensive understanding of informal carer support in these four contexts, the study draws on 16 semi-structured interviews with experts from academia, carer organisations, and public administration, complemented by a review of both academic and grey literature.
Despite their progress, all four countries continue to face several common challenges: (1) the persistent underutilisation of available benefits and services; (2) the need to expand support measures by broadening eligibility, increase benefit levels, improve national coherence, and introduce new forms of support; and (3) the importance of acknowledging the diversity of informal carers and tailoring policies to their varied needs. These shared challenges demonstrate that even advanced LTC systems still have room for improvement in providing comprehensive and effective support to informal carers.
