In late January and early February 2018 I had the privilege of joining the Global Conference on Integrated Care (“GCIC”) in Singapore. I am delighted to say that for me this was the most beneficial conference that I have attended since my re-connection to the aged care sector in August 2016.
Every nation represented at the Conference shared information about their significantly growing healthcare budget and rapidly ageing population. All nations have health and aged care systems that were created for a previous generation. They are not designed for the massive ageing population growth that require more and more health, social and aged care services.
As often as I remind others of the difficulties aged care providers, their workforce and clients are confronted with, I remind myself that we belong to a bigger system of health and social care provision.
Many parts of that system attract what seems to us, by comparison, to be outrageous funding. Maintenance care only in a hospital costs approximately $1,200 per day. A day of care in an intensive care unit costs $6,000 plus per day. That is not to say of course that these services are not important and desperately needed.