Implementing long-term care systems in the Americas: a regional strategy

• Published in: Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública
• Main Authors: Pablo Villalobos Dintrans, Mallika Mathur, Emmanuel González-Bautista, Jorge Browne, Carolina Hommes, Enrique Vega
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2021
• Subjects: long-term care; health policy; health systems; social security; health planning; americas; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2021.86; https://doaj.org/article/1027c0c3d19b40a68585b4035a77cda1

The Region of the Americas is facing accelerated demographic and epidemiological changes. As these trends will continue in future years, long-term care needs are expected to rise. How can countries respond to these challenges? We propose that countries in the Region should invest in the implementation of long-term care systems. Considering the heterogeneity in the Region, we propose a strategy based on three components: (i) understanding the problem; (ii) thinking about solutions; and (iii) building support and consensus. Depending on each country’s needs and capacities, these three elements suggest short-term and long-term actions and goals, from generating better information on long-term care needs to the implementation of long-term care systems. Longterm care is a relevant issue for the Region today. The task is challenging, but countries need to embrace it and move forward before it is too late.