Caritas Austria calls for improved inclusion for elderly people with disabilities

Marking 18 years since Austria ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN-BRK), Caritas President Nora Tödtling-Musenbichler has called for more effective implementation of the convention.

She highlighted significant gaps in housing, care, and participation opportunities, particularly for older individuals with disabilities. Current fragmented responsibilities and financing rules often lead to a lack of suitable support, forcing many to move from familiar environments into elderly care facilities.

Tödtling-Musenbichler emphasized that care should be based on individual needs rather than administrative jurisdictions or regional differences. She urged that the government's national care and support strategy, along with the principle of ‘home before stationary care,’ must explicitly address the specific requirements of people with disabilities to ensure self-determined living in old age.