Social support systems Organisation and financing of social
support to people with dementia and carers Background
information on the social/healthcare system in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, over 10% of the population has a chronic
somatic illness and over 16% have a long-term psychological
disorder. It became clear towards the end of the 1980s that
extra attention needed to be paid to the needs of people with
chronic disorders. There was a gradual move towards community-
based care and a shift in focus from the illness to the person
with the illness. Current measures are intended to help people
live independently in their own environments for as long as
possible (Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, 2007a). As of
January 2006, a new insurance system for curative healthcare
came into force in the Netherlands. Under the new Health
Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet), all residents of the
Netherlands are obliged to take out a health insurance. Another
important recent change is the Social Support Act (We