CD&V Warns of Unprecedented Capacity Crisis in Belgian Care Homes

Nearly nine out of ten residential care centers in Flanders are operating with waiting lists, with half of all facilities reporting wait times of three months to a year for new residents, according to a survey conducted by the CD&V party. The findings have ignited a political debate between coalition partners over whether the crisis stems from an absolute shortage of places or a problem of geographic distribution.

Alarming Survey Results

Flemish Parliament Member Katrien Schryvers (CD&V) surveyed 292 care homes — more than one in three of all residential care centers in Flanders — and found that 88 percent had a waiting list as of February 28, 2026. Among those that provided detailed estimates, nearly a third (29.9 percent) reported wait times of three to six months, while a fifth (21.3 percent) said new residents face delays of six months to a year.

Only 31.2 percent of care homes believe their current capacity will be sufficient to meet rising demand, while 48.1 percent stated their capacity does not meet demand. “Without intervention, waiting times will continue to increase in the coming years, leaving elderly people in need of care out in the cold,” Schryvers warned in a press release.

Minister Gennez Nuances the Warning

Minister of Welfare Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) responded by pushing back against the characterization of an unprecedented shortage. She noted that the current occupancy rate across Flemish care homes stands at 94 percent, not 100 percent, and emphasized that capacity is steadily expanding.

“The problem is not so much in the capacity, but in the distribution of the places,” Gennez told Het Laatste Nieuws. “That’s why it’s important that we look together with the sector and local authorities at where the needs are and where we need to step up. Because we want everyone to be able to find a place especially in their own neighborhood.”

The minister has 2,763 additional residential units and 211 short-stay units in the pipeline, equivalent to roughly 30 new care homes by 2029. She plans to present her capacity expansion plans to the government shortly.

The Recognition Calendar Impasse

A key point of contention is the suspension of the recognition calendar (erkenningskalender), which determines how many new residential units can be built annually based on demographic projections. The calendar expired at the end of 2025 but was extended by Minister Gennez until the end of 2026, creating what CD&V calls a “planning vacuum.”

Currently, 2,254 approved residential units have been granted permits but remain unbuilt, with many care homes requesting extensions. The situation is worsening: 344 approved places expired at the end of 2024 without being constructed, while 534 expired by the end of 2025 — a 190-place increase in a single year.

“We cannot wait another three years to take action. We know that aging demands additional capacity in residential elderly care and all alarm signals are flashing red,” Schryvers said.

Recent Closures Reduce Existing Capacity

Adding to the pressure, several care homes have closed in recent years, removing hundreds of places from the system. The closure of WZC Vordenstein in Schoten in March 2026 resulted in the loss of 129 residential units and 10 short-stay places. WZC Park Lane in Antwerp lost 138 units in 2023, and WZC Ofelia in Overijse lost 41 units in 2024. Several other facilities have indicated their future is uncertain.

A Looming Demographic Challenge

The debate highlights a deeper structural challenge facing Flanders. According to projections from VLOZO (Flemish Independent Care Network) and HOGENT University College, the number of over-65s in Flanders will exceed 1.5 million by 2033, potentially creating a shortage of up to 48,000 care home places if no action is taken.

N-VA Parliament Member Sarah Smeyers underscored the financial dimension: “Building costs money — 200,000 euros per residential unit, excluding staff. That makes the challenge enormous.”

What’s Next

With the recognition calendar suspended until the end of 2026 and the political debate between coalition partners intensifying, the path forward remains uncertain. Minister Gennez has promised to present her capacity plans to the government soon, including a system to redistribute places lost through closures. CD&V, meanwhile, is calling for immediate action, including better remediation trajectories to prevent further closures and greater autonomy for care homes to adapt their offerings.

As Flanders’ population continues to age, the question is no longer whether additional capacity will be needed — but whether the political will exists to build it before the waiting lists grow even longer.