Ageing and the Political Economy of Care

The delivery of social care to older adults in the UK faces major challenges. Growth in the numbers of oldest old, together with the prevalence of age-related diseases, will lead to substantial increases in demand for care. Meeting this demand requires a suitable policy response that provides adequate supplies of labour, both paid and unpaid, and appropriate capital resources: the highly undesirable alternative is escalating levels of unmet need. Whether new technology will mitigate this outcome remains unclear. The political economy of these issues is immensely challenging, which requires a holistic approach covering funding, capital and paid and unpaid care.