State Secretary Pouw-Verweij: “In practice, people feel daily that more and more elderly need support and care. Ultimately, it is about enabling people to age with dignity. Quality of life is central to this. We ensure that care staff can focus on the actual support and care for the elderly who need it most. I look forward to working together to implement this.”

Many elderly people can and want to live independently in their familiar environment for as long as possible, even as limitations increase and the demand for care rises. The starting point for elderly living at home is that the support and care align with what they want and can do. In collaboration with those around them, much is often still possible. Agreements have been made about strengthening the independence of the elderly (reablement) and additional support for informal caregivers. In the future, when determining the necessary long-term care (Wlz), a broader perspective will be taken than just the illness. Care and support must match the personal living situation of the elderly.

There may come a time when living at home is no longer feasible. Then a place in a nursing home must be available. It has been agreed that the Dutch Healthcare Institute, together with the involved organizations, will develop a nationwide assessment to determine whether moving to a nursing home is necessary. This prevents very vulnerable elderly people who need this care the most from unnecessarily ending up on a waiting list.

About 1 in 3 care hours in nursing homes goes to administration. The goal is to reduce this to 1 in 5 by 2030. This will be achieved, among other things, by simplifying the reassessment for residents of nursing homes. Care providers will also be supported through the use of technology, and we are working on better data exchange.

With this agreement, it has been possible to largely reverse a previously agreed cut of up to €660 million in 2030 on elderly care. Moreover, over €100 million per year is additionally available for investments, including training. This gives care providers extra financial space to ensure the accessibility of care for the most vulnerable elderly. The current cabinet has already scrapped the cuts for 2024 and 2025. The net available budget for elderly care in the Long-Term Care Act will grow in the coming years by €3.4 billion from €21 billion in 2025 to €24.4 billion in 2029.

This agreement was signed on July 10 by the following organizations: ActiZ, LOC Valuable Care, Patients Federation Netherlands, Senior Coalition, Verenso, Care at Home, Health Insurers Netherlands. Social Work Netherlands, V&VN, and the VNG support the direction of the HLO and the related package of substantive and financial agreements. These organizations will present the HLO in conjunction with the negotiation agreement AZWA with a positive recommendation to their members. If the members agree, they will sign the HLO together with the AZWA. Additionally, the Dutch Healthcare Authority, the Dutch Healthcare Institute, the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate, the CIZ, and the CAK are closely involved in the implementation.

The HLO and the supplementary Care and Welfare negotiation agreement (AZWA) complement each other and strengthen one another. For the entire care sector, efforts are being made to reduce administrative burdens and decrease the staff shortage in care. The elderly receive additional support through the strengthening of local facilities, for example for people with (early-stage) dementia. Access to palliative care will also be improved.

Additionally, the ministries of VWS and VRO are working with a large number of parties on a program aimed at realizing additional housing for the elderly (with care needs). The goal is to realize 290,000 homes for the elderly by 2030. VWS is also researching the return of nursing homes.