ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on social protection, which at the current time is mostly of a public nature. Public services and social security become public assistance and welfare services. The social protection systems are sometimes contested in several countries; at the moment they are coming to maturity and have to prove their superiority. New proposals are being floated in many countries with a view to introducing a system of social insurance for long-term care. In welfare states where the Beveridge model is applied, no need seems to be felt for explicit supplementary insurance schemes. Some form of co-insurance can to a certain extent, prevent over-consumption, which is conceivable in view of the increasing overall growth of welfare. As far as the formal sector of care for the elderly is concerned, it is not clear whether there is an increasing amount of private organisation nowadays, since the government is also involved in many new initiatives.
