Care in an Economically unequal Europe: Czechia, Hungary, and Poland

Taking a historic perspective to the different ways in which migration comes into the picture of elderly care in Europe, this first episode from the ReloCare project explores a phenomenon of sending older adults from Germany to nursing homes in Central and Eastern Europe. Besides tapping into the obvious economic inequalities in the region, how does this process fit into the longer geopolitical history of the region?

GUESTS of the episode:

Sources: 

https://careorg.eu/

https://www.relocatingcare.org/

  • Krause, Kristine, Prieler, Veronika, Horváth, Hanna, Jelínek, Matouš, Sapieha, Mariusz, Sekeráková Búriková, Zuzana., Ezzeddine, Petra, Schurian-Dąbrowska, Luise (forthcoming/ 2026). Care outsourcing from Germany to Central Eastern Europe. In the Special Issue: Transnational Organization of Labour, Mobility and Senior Care in Central and Eastern Europe. In: Social Inclusion.
  • Ezzeddine, Petra, Krause, Kristine (2022) Profitable Bodies and Care Mobilities in Central and Eastern Europe. In: Global Dialogue 12(3), 41–42. https://globaldialogue.isa-sociology.org/uploads/imgen/3294-v12i3-english.pdf 
  • Krause, Kristine; Prieler, Veronika; and Horváth, Hanna (2025) Moving to Hungary in later life: (in)dependence and transnational inequalities in assisted living abroad. In: Aulenbacher, Brigitte; Novy, Andreas; Baumgartner, Benjamin; Fröhlich, Valentin, Volmary, Hans (eds.) Transformative Change: Care and Housing in Europe. Special Issue of Berliner Journal für Soziologie, 35(3-4).
  • Prieler, Veronika (2024) Emotional support, matchmaking, and administrative services as care work. Intermediaries’ role in relocating seniors to care homes abroad. In: Atzmüller, Roland; Binner, Kristina; Décieux, Fabienne; Deindl, Raphael; Grubner, Johanna; Kreissl, Katharina (eds.) Gesellschaft in Transformation. Sorge, Kämpfe und Kapitalismus. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz Juventa, 89–98.
  • Schwiter, Karin, Brütsch, Jill, Pratt, Geraldine (2020) Sending Granny to Chiang Mai: Debating global outsourcing of care for the elderly. In: Global Networks 20(1), 106–125.
  • Großmann, Sonja; Schweppe, Cornelia (2020) Just like in Germany, only better? Old-age care facilities in Poland for people fromGermany and the question of legitimacy. In: Ageing and Society 40 (4), 823–841.
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