Highlights from the Integrated Long-Term Care Symposium

On 12 June 2025, the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) hosted an insightful webinar titled “Integrated Long‑Term Care: Defining the Research Questions for Better Quality, Person‑Centred Solutions”. This event brought together leading voices in policy, research, and practice to discuss strategies for creating more integrated, transparent, and person-centred long-term care solutions.

The session highlighted three ambitious Horizon Europe-funded projects — BUILD, Laurel, and LeTsCare — all working to tackle the pressing challenges of long-term care through innovative, research-driven approaches.

Policy Insights from the European Commission

Opening the discussion, Diana Eriksonaité, Policy Officer on Long-Term Care at the European Commission, shared the EU’s vision for improving LTC systems across Member States. She emphasised the need for care models that are sustainable, inclusive, and easy to understand, underlining the importance of user engagement and transparency.

Her intervention reinforced the Commission’s commitment to supporting projects that test and develop innovative models of integrated care – ensuring they are grounded in people’s real-life needs.

🔍 Research Grounded in People’s Realities

Researchers from the three projects took the floor to present their guiding questions and methodologies:

• Barbara Da Roit (LeTs-Care) explored how governance models can support effective and equitable implementation at the local level.

• Albert Alonso (Laurel) introduced a multidisciplinary methodology integrating medical, ethical, and technological perspectives.

• Eckhard Nagel (BUILD) presented BUILD’s focus on co-creating care solutions with older adults and caregivers, and its effort to unite diverse European voices through the BUILD Association Board.

Together, the projects aim to create scientifically sound, practical frameworks for integrated care that are shaped by those who deliver and receive care.

Building Bridges Between Policy, Practice and Innovation

One message came through loud and clear: real change requires collaboration. Whether through stakeholder involvement, digital innovation, or local pilot initiatives, the projects are demonstrating how science and policy can work hand in hand to deliver more person-centred care systems.

Their work serves as a blueprint for how innovation can be deployed to support not just care quality, but also dignity, autonomy, and accessibility for Europe’s ageing population.

 What’s Next?

BUILD, Laurel, and LeTsCare are entering key phases of development. Over the coming months, they will:

• Develop integrated care models tailored to local needs

• Share practical tools and evidence to inform EU-wide policy

• Engage with professionals, caregivers and care users to co-design solutions

• Promote inclusive, people-first narratives in long-term care

These projects are shaping a future where long-term care is not only better organised, but truly centred around the people it serves.