During its first six months of activities, the CAPABLE project launched an initial regional analysis to better understand how care for older people is organised across the territories of the European partners.

The work, coordinated by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region with the support of Informest, starts from a shared awareness: in the coming years, the need for qualified caregivers is expected to increase, driven by the progressive ageing of the population.

The data collected confirm a trend common to all the territories involved: the growth of the population aged over 65. However, the intensity of the phenomenon varies significantly. In Friuli Venezia Giulia, for example, there are 244 older people for every 100 young people, while in Vaslui County in Romania the ratio drops to 99. Between these two extremes lie territories such as Offenbach County in Germany and the Kuyavian–Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. These demographic differences directly affect the availability of care services and facilities.

The analysis then explored situations where family support is no longer sufficient, such as unexpected hospital admissions, hospital discharge, or the need for continuous assistance. A strong level of heterogeneity emerged among the territories: some regions, such as Friuli Venezia Giulia, Hesse, and the Region of Murcia, have a high number of semi-residential and residential facilities, while in other contexts, such as Romania and Ukraine, the supply remains significantly insufficient.

Despite these differences, one element is shared by all CAPABLE partners: home care is considered the most desirable solution. Enabling older people to remain in their own homes while receiving adequate health and social support means preserving their autonomy, dignity, and quality of life. The models adopted vary from one territory to another, but the objective remains the same, as demonstrated by Integrated Home Care in Italy or the structured home-care services available in Germany.

In addition to formal services, the analysis also highlights the crucial — and often invisible — role of family and external caregivers. This is a widespread but difficult-to-measure reality, marked by high levels of informality. Estimates indicate that between 50% and 60% of external caregivers work without regular contracts, with a prevalence of women aged 45 to 65, often coming from other European countries, particularly from Eastern Europe.

This first regional analysis therefore represents an essential starting point for the CAPABLE project, which in the coming months will work to enhance care work, strengthen home-care services, and contribute to the development of more sustainable and equitable models for elderly care in Europe.