Caribbean faces growing need for long-term care with aging population, new policy brief says

According to Caribbean Life News, A joint policy brief by the Washington, D.C.-based Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says that as the population ages in the Americas, including the Caribbean, the need for long-term care is growing. But the report says fragmented services and insufficient public financing are leaving families to shoulder much of the responsibility and cost. By 2050, the report says an estimated 306 million people in the Americas — more than one in four residents — will be aged 60 or older. “As the population ages, countries will need to expand services that help people maintain their autonomy, functional ability and quality of life, while supporting those who provide care,” it says. The publication, released on Wednesday, Oct. 28, comes ahead of the International Day of Care and Support on Oct. 29 and highlights the need to strengthen long-term care sy