Families should take more time to help their relatives who need extra care, junior health minister Martin van Rijn told a television talk show on Friday evening.

A bigger role for families would be a good way to keep care affordable, Van Rijn told the Pauw & Witteman show.
He says there should be agreement between family carers and the professional sector about ‘who can do what’. This would allow the elderly to get the help they need but at no extra cost.
Spending cuts
The government is planning to slash €1bn from the bill for home helps and nursing over the coming years. In addition, responsibility is being transferred from national to local government.
According to Saturday’s Parool, some 30,000 people in Amsterdam could be effected by the changes and council executive Eric van der Burg plans to ask the cabinet to re-examine the impact of the changes.
The cuts will among to up to €250m, he says, and will lead to some 20,000 people no longer getting home helps. In addition a further 3,500 people will not be considered eligible for a place in a nursing home.
‘It remains to be seen if the elderly and other Amsterdammers in need of care actually have a network to fall back on if they have to stay at home longer,’ SP councilor Maureen van der Pligt told the paper.
Should we be doing more to help elderly family members?