Three focus groups were organised at the Red Cross of Sombor, on Thursday, 22 July 2021. The aim of the focus groups was to map services and assess the need for long-term care services in the local community. This activity is a continuation of the needs assessment that has already started by collecting information through questionnaires.
The first group consisted of 13 older persons who, in addition to mapping services emphasized the growing needs, especially of older persons from rural areas besides praising the services of patronage and palliative care The participants of the second focus group were informal caregivers who, among other proposals, stressed the need for education, respite services as well as the importance of improving communication with professionals. The third group consisted of particularly important stakeholders in the community: representatives of the Centre for Social Welfare, the Health Centre, the retirement home, the Red Cross and the local government, who underlined the importance of partnerships in the local community and of stronger coordination of all actors.