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European Confederation of Care Homes Organizations

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E.C.H.O. at the European Convention on Long-Term Care in Madrid

Madrid, 1–2 October 2026. The European Confederation of Care Home Organisations (E.C.H.O.) actively participated in the First European Convention on Long-Term Care, organised by Fundación Economía y Salud at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid.

The Convention brought together over 200 professionals, European experts, policymakers and representatives of the long-term care sector to discuss current challenges and develop proposals for more sustainable, accessible and high-quality care systems across Europe.

E.C.H.O. contributed to the discussions through its involvement in the Advisory Council and the participation of three representatives as speakers in the thematic panels:

Ilaria Giannico, E.C.H.O. Strategic Consultant, addressed the critical shortage of long-term care professionals in Europe. She proposed the creation of a European fund to attract qualified workers, targeted reskilling programmes, ethical international recruitment partnerships and a more integrated continuum of care combining home care, telemedicine and residential services.
Pascal Tschörtner, Managing Director of bpa (Germany), focused on the financial sustainability of long-term care, emphasising freedom of choice for care recipients, fair competition among providers, stable financing mechanisms and the need to reduce administrative burdens.
Sebastiano Capurso, E.C.H.O. Treasurer and President of ANASTE (Italy), highlighted the importance of developing innovative residential care models, including cohousing and dementia villages. He also stressed the need for greater European recognition of professional qualifications and the integration of technology while preserving the essential human dimension of care.

Through these contributions, E.C.H.O. reaffirmed its commitment to representing the long-term care sector at European level, promoting cooperation among national organisations and supporting policies that strengthen the quality, accessibility and sustainability of care services.

The Convention’s conclusions will contribute to the development of policy recommendations to be presented to European institutions, supporting the ongoing dialogue on the future of long-term care in Europe.