The Impact of Crisis and Austerity on Long Term Care for Older People in Portugal – An Analysis Based on the Experiences of Social Workers in Private Institutions for Social Solidarity

Abstract

In Portugal, long-term care (LTC) for older people rests mainly upon Private Institutions for Social Solidarity (IPSS). The debt crisis of 2008-2013 and the austerity policies that followed had a considerable impact on all sectors of the country’s economy and social services. How did this crisis and austerity impact long-term care for older people? We approach this question with a qualitative research using content analyzis, based on individual interviews of a geographically convenient sample (N = 20) with social work staff of IPSS providing social responses of LTC for older people (1 full-time social work staff per each institution), located at the Center Region of Portugal. The main themes revealed by the analyzis were: financing, human resources, partnerships and quality. The results show a strong impact at the level of financing, yet, a correspondent lower impact on the quality of the services. Also, some dynamics of innovation appear in issues of partnerships and human resources. Although the results and discussion are limited to a specific historical and geographical context, upon further research, they can be considered as implications of crisis and austerity on older people’s social services more broadly, and a reference point to compare with future social policies.