Unmet need and care poverty: new patterns of distribution in Danish home care for older people

Long-term care for older people is in the Nordic countries often said to constitute a perfect example of universalism, as access to benefits is based on citizenship and provision is relative generous. However, within a short period of time the coverage rate for home care has dropped considerably in Denmark, from 18% of the 65+ in 2008 to 11% in 2018, with possible implications for how and whether care needs are met and inequalities created. Using survey data, we find that the drop in the take-up of practical home care cannot be explained by
healthy ageing but is instead a result of targeting towards the frailest and those with need for personal care. Our results indicate a substantial change with implications for the core element of service universalism in the Nordic LTC model with indication of new inequalities and care poverty for a relatively large group of frail older people.