Ageing in the Netherlands

More does not mean better, proves the nursing home deterioration in the Netherlands.

The number of commercial nursing homes in the Netherlands has increased fivefold in the past ten years. Exceptional support for the elderly was expected, yet experts are now concerned about the quality of medical care and living conditions in the establishments.

Just the past two years, there has been an increase of 100 new homes for seniors, but quality treatment has been disregarded. 

The LHV (National Association of General Practitioners) have expressed their worry about the standards of medical care in the centres for the elderly: “In commercial nursing homes, there is not always a geriatric specialist or geriatric psychiatrist present.” 

Moreover, in the past few years, LPZ (International Prevalence Measurement of Care Quality) has evaluated the conditions in the Netherlands´ care homes. The surveys revealed that the number of malnutrition cases amongst seniors in commercial nursing homes has risen to more than 16 per cent. This has prompted the organisation´s research into the structure of the national establishments, to question the nursing staff and prevent a further increase in the figures.