The new risk of dependency in old age and (missed) employment opportunities: the Southern Europe model in a comparative perspective

With the ageing of the population, the changing forms of care and the developments in the elderly care labour market become crucial issues. In this respect, the "new risk" of dependency represents a challenge but also an opportunity of development. The paper provides an overview of the relationship between the development of long-term-care policies and services in distinct European countries and female employment in the care sector using comparative institutional and survey data. Whereas Northern European countries have developed policies at an earlier stage and continental countries intervened with new policies in the last ten-fifteen years. In Southern Europe, social policies are weak and fragmented while there is a low development of services. This, however, did not prevent the rise of a new care labour market. Long-term care tends to be provided mainly by migrant care workers, often undocumented and in the underground economy. This has current consequences on migrant workers, older persons and their families. It is also likely to structure any future long term care policies.