Loneliness and lack of long-term care for seniors pose a growing crisis in Poland and globally.
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A volunteer’s experience with an elderly woman who was bedridden and suffering from multiple illnesses highlights the severe lack of long-term care in Poland. The woman’s wish to regain her sight to read books went unfulfilled before she passed away, despite some neighborhood support. This case exemplifies a broader crisis in Polish senior care, where official systems are struggling, evidenced by long waiting lists for care facilities and insufficient home support. Statistics show high levels of loneliness among older Poles, with many needing companionship or emotional support. While other European countries face similar issues, the situation in Poland is exacerbated by declining social services despite increasing needs. Organizations like “mali bracia Ubogich” are working to combat isolation through community building and volunteer programs, emphasizing dignity for seniors. Despite appeals from various professional bodies regarding the urgent need for better senior policy, these issues remain largely unaddressed, suggesting that loneliness and unattended deaths may soon become a major societal problem in Poland.
