Responses to the crisis in long-term care in Latvia

Martins MoorsDeputy director, Head of Social Administration

Riga City Council Welfare Department (member of ESN)

Organization of nursing care home (or LTC) service for older people in Latvia

Provision of nursing care home services for older people is considered to be a social service and falls entirely under the responsibility of the municipalities.

However, the majority of nursing homes employ some medical personnel, mainly nurses.

Provision of medical services to nursing homes’ inhabitants is organized in the same way as the provision of medical care to the general population.

Long term care services for persons with severe mental disorders are under the responsibility of the Ministry of Welfare and are financed from the central government’s budget.

Financing of nursing care home (or LTC) service for older people in Latvia

Recipients of social care services must cover the cost of services or a part of it – 90% from state pension (and other income)

The rest of the cost must be covered by this person’s primary guardian/caretaker (formula according to rules of government)

if the guardian/caretaker is not able to do so, by the municipality.

Sources of revenues of nursing homes, 2011

14%

33%

10%

41%

1% 1%

2011State Municipality

Primary guardian/caretaker Customer

Other operating income Other revenues

Source: Ministry of Welfare (2013)

Actual and forecasted number of nursing homes customers, 2007-2012

5000

5100

5200

5300

5400

5500

5600

5700

5800

5900

6000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Number of customers

Number of forecasted customers

Source: Ministry of Welfare (2013)

Trends in the number of nursing homes employees, 2007-2012

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Total N of medical personell

N of doctors

Total N of employees

Source: Ministry of Welfare (2013).

Case study: nursing home Stella Maris

Long term care centre owned by the municipality of Riga

Stella Maris had long term care In 2007, 107 customers; 53 employees In 2011, 109 customers; 49 employees In 2012, 114 customers; 53 employees

Trends in monthly spending per customer, 2007-2012 (1LVL=1,42€)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Spending per customer per month (LVL)

Source: Ministry of Welfare (2013).

Case study: nursing home Stella Maris expenses, 2007-2012 (1LVL=1,42€)

Actual trends now in Riga

Almost half of LTC institution clients are people with dementia (46% in 2014 (Riga))

Increasing number of receivers of alternative care in living area (home care, alarm button, meals on wheels, assistant) from 3941 persons in 2009 to 6410 persons in

2014 Increasing numbers of people with disabilities

From 40 063 persons (5,65% from Riga population) in 2009 to 47 588 persons (6,82 from Riga population) in 2014

Lack of LTC providers in Riga and surrounding municipalities

Thank you for attention!