ABSTRACT
In Denmark, health and social care are available on a universal basis depending on need and not age or ability to pay. Health service, hospitals and social care are provided at no cost to the elderly and financed through general taxation. The concept of Danish ageing policy presupposes that a broad and varied range of services and activities is available to the elderly. The services concerning integrated health and social care are home help, home nursing, rehabilitation and nursing homes. Apart from nursing homes, Denmark has almost no institutions outside the hospital system taking care of the frailest elderly. Their needs are met through integrated health and social care within municipalities. The provision of integrated health and social care for older persons is based on the concept of self-care. The concept of self-care includes the acceptance of the human being as a free, independently thinking and acting individual with the ability to make decisions about his/her life.
