The territory of the Ipoly-Valley EGTC is made up of peripheral, dispersed municipalities; their population is shrinking and ageing quickly. It is a key sectoral problem that the public services cannot provide the necessary help for elderly people, especially the regular and quality healthcare and access to fresh and nutritional food. The elderly could get out of the community processes, and the labour market is not prepared to employ them, which leads to isolation and the loss of independence and self-sufficiency. The complex care of the elderly (the rate of which in the population can even reach 23% in the municipalities concerned) is an increasing burden on small local governments and the – often lacking – social care systems.