Responding to Climate Events in Long-Term Care: International Perspectives

An Ageing Commons webinar co-hosted with the GOLTC Climate Change and Long-Term Care Interest Group

Date: 2 June 2026

Climate change is increasingly shaping the lives of older people and the functioning of long-term care systems, exposing them to extreme weather, service disruption, and growing sustainability pressures. At the same time, long-term care services themselves contribute to climate change through energy use, resource consumption, and supply chains. Despite these interconnected challenges, long-term care remains underrepresented in climate mitigation and adaptation policies, even as evidence grows on risks to care infrastructure, workforce capacity, and essential services. This webinar brought together international perspectives to explore emerging research, policy responses, and practical strategies to strengthen resilience, preparedness, and sustainability in long-term care.

This webinar covered: 

Green care, decarbonization in social care: Dan Hind (Leeds Institute for Health Science, University of Leeds, UK)

A perspective on Long-Term Care and Climate Change from Bangladesh: Imran Chowdhury (AYAT Education, Bangladesh)

Learning from the Covid pandemic to prepare for climate change in Long-Term Care: Andrea Schmidt, (Austrian Institute of Public Health)

Systematic review on climate change and long-term care: Natasha Bryant and Robyn Stone (LeadingAge, USA)

Moderators: Finn Turner-Berry (National Care Forum) & Adelina Comas-Herrera (London School of Economics and Political Science)

This webinar is part of a Global Virtual Rountable series organised in partnership by the Global Ageing Network, National Care Forum, ScottishCare, Ontario Long Term Care Association and the Global Observatory of Long-Term Care, building on the Ageing Commons format. We aim to bring together researchers, providers, workforce leaders, and practitioners from around the world to explore one of the most urgent challenges in long-term care: building and sustaining a strong workforce while maintaining quality of life and quality of care.

Relevant reading: