Building on the previous briefs, Brief 5 discusses how countries allocate resources for LTC across different delivery settings, balancing the aim of providing coverage of widely varying services for beneficiaries with financial sustainability and financial protection.
Financing sustainable and quality long-term care (LTC) poses significant challenges for policymakers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The WHO Centre for Health Development (WHO Kobe Centre – WKC) addresses these challenges in its series “Financing LTC: Lessons for Low- and Middle-Income Countries,” which aims to make research and evidence accessible for policymakers. Brief 5 focuses on resource allocation for LTC across various delivery settings, emphasizing the balance between providing diverse services and maintaining financial sustainability and protection.
It highlights the shift from nursing homes to home and community-based services, the need for significant investment in quality care, and the role of governments in ensuring care quality and financial alignment. The brief also discusses the potential and limitations of cash subsidies for LTC and the risks of inadequate regulations leading to suboptimal outcomes. The WKC’s research aims to promote sustainable LTC financing to achieve universal health coverage for older adults.