In the Red Cross of Sombor, on Thursday, July 22, 2021, three focus groups were organised. 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, praised the services of patronage and palliative care and emphasized the growing needs, especially of older persons from rural areas. The participants of the second focus group were informal caregivers who, among other proposals, especially emphasized the need for education, respite services and the need to improve communication with professionals. The third group consisted of the most important factors in the community: representatives of the Centre for Social Welfare, the Health Centre, the retirement home, the Red Cross and the local self-government, who emphasized the importance of partnership in the local community and greater coordination of all actors.

These activities were organized as part of the project "Innovative services in the local community" which is co-financed by the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency.