Table 1 Description of household help (intervention) before and after 2007

Regulation

Regulated by AWBZ (General Law on Exceptional Medical Expenses)

Regulated by Wmo (Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning)

Goal of AWBZ

To provide necessary domestic help and enable older people to continue living independently in their own house

The main goal of the new law was to provide help and support to ensure that everyone could participate in society [12]

Who is responsible for service allocation

Household help was obtained based upon a care allocation by the Centraal Indicatie Orgaan Zorg (CIZ). CIZ were under regional health centers

It is also regulated by CIZ, but CIZ are now under regulation of local municipalities

Services included

Cleaning, cooking, washing but also personal care and support for emotional needs [12].

Mostly cleaning

Eligibility and entitlements

Right to care: everyone who met the eligibility criteria was entitled to an amount of care

The entitlement to a number of hours of care was not based on normative requirements but rather reflected the client’s need for help [12]. The services were mostly used by older adults but also by younger people with chronic physical or physiological diseases.

Right to compensation: The right to compensation gave the municipalities the freedom to develop their own policy regarding service provision [13]

This means that municipalities can develop tailor-made solutions for each individual depending on their individual circumstances. With Wmo household help is provided only to persons who have no other ways to organize help or support