Luxembourg’s Minister for Family, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception, Max Hahn, and Minister of Health and Social Security, Martine Deprez, today presented the pilot “Out of Hospital” project, an initiative designed to provide better support to older people following a hospital stay.
The new programme is aimed at older people whose health has stabilised after hospitalisation but who cannot yet return home immediately or who still need to determine the most appropriate accommodation solution for their situation. The project provides a secure environment based in facilities for older people, supporting the recovery of autonomy and helping prepare for a safe return home or, where appropriate, admission to a residential care facility.
Max Hahn, Minister for Family, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception, said: “With the ‘Out of Hospital’ project, we are offering older people who need temporary accommodation the right conditions and the necessary time to make decisions about their future. Hospitalisation can be a major disruption in an older person’s life. It is therefore essential to give them the time and means to prepare for the next steps, without pressure and in an appropriate setting.”
Martine Deprez, Minister of Health and Social Security, said: “Healthcare does not stop at the hospital door. It is our responsibility to ensure that every patient receives genuine continuity of care, including when hospitalisation is no longer necessary but returning home is not yet possible. With ‘Out of Hospital’, we are moving towards a more integrated and flexible system of care that is truly centred on patients’ needs.”
The pilot project will run from 2026 to 2029 and will be subject to a final evaluation. It is based on close cooperation between residential facilities for older people, hospitals and the relevant public authorities. The first 36 places, spread across four facilities throughout the country, will be able to welcome their first beneficiaries from October 1, 2026.
To date, nine applications have been submitted by seven operators of residential facilities for older people, representing a total of 66 beds. Further applications may be submitted throughout the project to join the initiative.
A transition phase between hospital and home
Stays under the project will be limited to eight weeks, with the possibility of a justified extension of up to two additional weeks. Each participating facility must have a dedicated unit with at least six beds and conclude a cooperation agreement with a hospital to ensure continuity of medical care and support for beneficiaries.
The project has several objectives:
- improve the care pathway for older people following hospitalisation;
- reduce avoidable readmissions;
- facilitate admissions to residential care facilities;
- strengthen cooperation between the hospital, social care and home-care sectors.
The Ministry of Family will provide up to €3.2 million in funding for the project over the 2026–2029 period. An interinstitutional steering committee will monitor its implementation using specific indicators to assess actual needs, beneficiary profiles, as well as the costs and benefits of the model.
