Older people’s experiences of informal care in rural Flanders, Belgium

Abstract

Flanders (Belgium) is ageing at high speed. The number of people aged over 80 will increase from more than 400.000 today to nearly 800.000 in 2060, which is 10 % of the population. Although the entire region is ageing, older people are overrepresented in non-urban areas. A large majority of the elderly have to ‘age in place’, being the consequence of a very clear-cut policy to foster staying put. However, one can question if their quality of life can be guaranteed, knowing that basic facilities are often unavailable in sparsely populated areas. This is especially relevant when personal mobility decreases and (health) care is needed. Based on qualitative research methods (in-depth interviews, focus groups and observations made while following care providers), this paper discusses the everyday experiences and perceptions of older people with regard to informal care. We focus on elderly people living in two different rural regions, rudimentary defined as a work-poor area (Westhoek) and a work-rich area (Kempen). The results indicate that the availability of informal care is –among others- dependent on the spatial context and can therefore not be guaranteed everywhere.