A better long-term care system would cost three times as much, but give people more home care

New research models an ideal long-term care system. It finds that people would get more home care, but public spending would triple. This means individuals would pay less out-of-pocket for nursing homes and more for home care, leading to much happier consumers.

Governments often design long-term care systems to control costs. This research suggests that focusing on consumer preference for home care, even if it means higher public spending, could deliver a much better outcome for people. It challenges the idea that cost containment is the only goal, showing a clear trade-off between public expenditure and individual well-being.