Mapping Long-Term Care in Jamaica: Addressing an Ageing Population

Ishtar Govia, Janelle N. Robinson, Rochelle Amour, Marissa Stubbs, Klara Lorenz-Dant, Adelina Comas-Herrera and Martin Knapp
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Ishtar Govia: Epidemiology Research Unit, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Janelle N. Robinson: Epidemiology Research Unit, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Rochelle Amour: Epidemiology Research Unit, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Marissa Stubbs: Epidemiology Research Unit, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Klara Lorenz-Dant: Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK
Martin Knapp: Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-12

Abstract: Jamaica’s ageing population, high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and associated functional impairments suggest the need for a sustainable long-term care (LTC) system. This paper describes the current LTC system in Jamaica. A review of empirical and grey literature on LTC was supplemented with consultations and interviews and group discussions for knowledge exchange, impact and engagement events with stakeholders being conducted as part of a project on dementia care improvement. Four key findings emerged: (1) Jamaica’s LTC system depends substantially on informal care (both unpaid and paid); (2) there is a need for strategic coordination for LTC across the state, cross-ministerial, private, and volunteer sectors; (3) compulsory insurance and social protection schemes appear to exacerbate rather than narrow socioeconomic inequalities in LTC; and (4) there is a lack of systematic LTC data gathering and related information systems in both the private and public sector—for both institutional and community-based care. For LTC in Jamaica and the broader Caribbean region to be sustainable, more evidence-informed policies and practices that address inequalities in access to services, ability to pay for care, direct support from government, and the risk of needing LTC are needed.

Keywords: Jamaica; Caribbean; long-term care; gender; inequality; unpaid care; financing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:8101-:d:597755

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