Ageing and the Care of Older People in Europe

European societies are ageing it is widely recognised that both the numbers and proportions of older people in all European countries are increasing and will continue to do so into the next century. As a consequence ageing and social responses to old age are now major issues across Europe. In the context of an ever closer relationship between European countries it is important that both the common features and the variety in the social constructions of old age are grasped to enable a better understanding and an appropriate exchange of ideas about social responses to be developed.