Long-term care for the elderly in Slovenia

In my master thesis I focus on the field of long-term care for the elderly in Slovenia. In the theoretical background, I first address the ageing of the population and the social changes that have led to the current situation. I continue with the regulation of long-term care at macro level – at the level of the World Health Organisation and the European Union. I then introduce and define the field of long-term care, why it is important, and I address the regulation of the field in Slovenia before and after the adoption of the Long-Term Care Act in 2021. In doing so, I focus on the sufficient and optimal regulation of long-term care, which, as a cornerstone of the welfare state, must be well regulated within the framework of social policy. In the empirical part, I investigate the key problems faced in the field of long-term care in Slovenia, how the adoption of the Long-Term Care Act has changed the field, and which parts should be reformed. I also look at the benefits and drawbacks of long-term care provided to older people by services in the home environment compared to services in social care institutions. Finally, I also looked at the future outlook for long-term care in Slovenia and at examples of good practice from abroad that could be implemented in Slovenia. I used a qualitative research approach and triangulation of sources and methods. I used several forms of research: qualitative research, desktop research and comparative research. The main aim of my research was to find out whether the current regulation of long-term care is sufficient to meet the needs of the older population and to use the findings to influence policymaking in the field of long-term care. The results show that, despite the adoption of the Long-term Care Act, the regulation of long-term care is still unsatisfactory, as it still contains several ambiguities. Nevertheless, it addresses the right questions which will need answers sooner or later. The Act will need some serious and radical improvements in the future, but it has the potential to successfully provide social security for individuals and their families. In this respect, it is of the utmost importance that the drafters look at the real needs of the people, the financial, social, and cultural background of the country, and consult with other (also differently minded) stakeholders in the field