€10 million for elderly care innovations
Innovation minister announces €10 million in funding for a new system of innovating in care for the elderly, as well as for the first four projects approved after a call for ideas last year
Call for projects for next round of funding
The new “test-lab” project for elderly care aims to bring together all of those who are active in the area – the health-care sector, home help and businesses and innovators, all of whom would provide information on what is needed and ideas on how results might be achieved.
“Elderly people make it clear that they want to remain longer in their homes, with more social contact,” Lieten said. “One of the major challenges … in the decades to come will be to tackle the growing problem of loneliness among seniors. This test-lab will be dedicated to improving the quality of life of older people by allowing them to fully take part in society and to have a broad variety of social contacts.”
The four projects funded in the first round include creating “care neighbourhoods” in Brussels and Antwerp to support both the elderly and their carers; Ageing in Place in the Aalst area, which makes housing and home-care more affordable; a project in Leuven to develop integrated treatment products and processes for those requiring complex care; and the Living and Care Lab in the Kempen area, which helps improve social participation.
Health-care system
national health-care system is born
percent of salary employees contribute to social security
to 75% of healthcare costs reimbursed by mutuality
- NIHDI
- European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
- Crossroads Bank for Social Security
