Long-term Care in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

This report provides updated information on long-term care in the Region of the Americas, summarizing current knowledge about the health and aging of older persons in the Region at the start of the Decade of Healthy Aging 2021-2030. The data paint a detailed picture of the long-term care situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, the burden and effects of care dependency, and current long-term care systems and services in the subregion. The rapid aging of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean is fueling a substantial increase in the demand for care services at a time when the supply of unpaid care provided by families––currently the main providers of dependency care––is shrinking. This detailed report can serve as the foundation for the design of strategies that formalize this dimension of health care, with the idea that developing national long-term care systems is essential for protecting and promoting the rights, dignity, and well-being of care-dependent older persons and their caregivers.