Abstract

Speakers from the US, Germany, England, the Netherlands and France who work in government agencies that operate public long-term care programs or plan and evaluate long-term care financing options will discuss the challenges their countries confront and must address. These challenges include the financial constraints created by the financial crises and slow recovery from economic recession in recent years and the longer term financial burden posed by population aging, Alzheimer’s Disease among the growing numbers of older people living past age 85, and perhaps also what may be rising levels of disability and longer life expectancy with disability among children and younger adults.

These government officials will also be asked to speak to how changing cultural expectations with regard to family caregiving or in connection with immigration patterns affect public long-term care programs. They will be asked about the role of private long-term care insurance and other private financing mechanisms in their countries. What cutting edge technological innovations to improve service delivery are emerging, especially with respect to information technology and telemedicine? Finally, since the last LSE conference, what financing/service delivery reforms have been implemented, abandoned, or are being given serious consideration.

Slides