Social support systems Organisation and financing of social
support to people with dementia and carers Background
information on the social/healthcare system in Bulgaria Until
1990, Bulgaria had a Communist government. This was replaced in
1991 by a multiparty parliamentary democracy, governed by a
single chamber with a president as head of State. Prior to 1991,
Bulgaria had a Semashko kind of health care system (a
centralised, tax-based system). Although it became clear that
certain elements of this system were problematic, it was not
until 1997, when the health care system seemed to be in danger
of collapsing, that measures were taken to rationalise the
system and improve the effectiveness of health care provision.
Social health insurance was introduced at the end of the 1990’s
but out-of-pocket payments remain a problem for people on a
lower income (Koulaksazov et al., 2003). The organisation of
social support for people with dementia and carers Specific
support for people with dementia and their carers is