Supporting family carers of older people in Europe

In the field of ageing there is a wide range of services available for the elderly, but hardly any direct support for caring family carers. Nevertheless, the majority of care for the elderly is provided by family members, especially women (wives and daughters). As a result, caring for the elderly often brings additional costs for the family. This publication presents the legal status and social situation of family carers in Portugal, explains the range of services available for the elderly and their family carers and points out some challenges for the future developments.