“The number of people who may need long-term care services in the European Union is expected to increase from 30.8 million in 2019 to 38.1 million by 2050. In Greece, according to Eurostat, in 2025 people aged 65 and over already accounted for 23.7% of the population, that is, almost one in four residents.
According to the European Commission’s Country Report 2026 for Greece:
Public spending on long-term care amounts to just 0.1% of GDP, while the corresponding EU average stands at 1.7%.
Greece has the lowest number of staff, with just 0.3 long-term care workers per 100 people aged over 65, compared with 3.3 in the European Union.
Greece shows unmet long-term care needs amounting to 29.1%, exceeding the European Union average (26.6%)”.
The above are stated in a question to the European Commission by PASOK MEP and Vice-President of the Group of the Socialists and Democrats, Giannis Maniatis, through which he requests support for the development of long-term care services in Greece’s island regions.
The occasion for the parliamentary intervention was the initiative of the Civil Non-Profit Company (AMKE) “ZOE PLUS” in Chios to create care and supported living structures for adult persons of the 3rd and 4th age. The initiative, which highlights a broader European and national challenge, includes, among other things, the creation of autonomous supported living apartments, a Day Centre for people with dementia, and active ageing programmes, with the aim of responding to the growing long-term care needs in an island area with approximately 1,800 single-person elderly households.
However, the picture in the field of long-term care in our country remains particularly worrying. Despite the drafting of a National Strategic Framework and Detailed Action Plan for long-term care, the European Commission’s Country Report 2026 points out that sufficient progress has not yet been recorded in the expansion of services.
At the same time, the European Commission finds that the limited availability of home care services, combined with the insufficient development of community-based and institutional long-term care services, which are concentrated in the country’s economically stronger regions, significantly limits citizens’ choices, while it points to significant unmet long-term care needs, especially in remote and island areas.
With his question, G. Maniatis calls on the European Commission:
⦁ To assess Greece’s progress regarding the implementation of the European Care Strategy and the Council Recommendation on long-term care,
⦁ To clarify which financial and technical instruments of the European Union can support the development of long-term care services by non-profit entities, especially in island and remote areas, as well as
⦁ To highlight best practices from other member states that could be used for the development of corresponding services in Greece.
G. Maniatis states:
“Population ageing is one of Europe’s greatest social challenges. The European Commission’s own data prove that Greece continues to lag significantly in the field of long-term care, with the greatest difficulties identified in island and remote areas. Decent living is not a privilege, it is the right of every citizen. The European Union and the Greek State must provide tangible support to the initiatives of active citizens that strengthen social cohesion and allow people of all ages to live with dignity in their own place.”
What follows is the full text of the Question:
“Subject: Long-term care services in island areas
The European Commission estimates that the number of people who may need long-term care services in the European Union is expected to increase from 30.8 million in 2019 to 38.1 million by 2050. The European Care Strategy and the Council Recommendation on access to affordable and high-quality long-term care make strengthening long-term care systems and reducing territorial inequalities in access to the relevant services a priority.
In Chios, the Civil Non-Profit Company (AMKE) “ZOE PLUS” was established with the aim of creating care and supported living structures for adult persons of the third and fourth age. The initiative provides for the creation of autonomous supported living apartments, a Day Centre for people with dementia, and active ageing programmes.
The Commission is asked:
1. How does it assess Greece’s progress regarding the implementation of the European Care Strategy and the Council Recommendation on long-term care?
2. Which EU financial and technical instruments are available to support the development of long-term care services by non-profit entities, especially in island and remote areas?
3. Which best practices and models for the provision of long-term care services from other member states, especially in island or remote areas, could serve as a model for the development of corresponding services in Greece?”