More attention is needed on how countries better prepare to care for those most vulnerable.
Countries worldwide are often described according to one of four income groupings. These are: low; low-middle; upper-middle; and high (2). Whilst this offers an insight into the level of a country’s development, it does not always give us the whole picture. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (3) and the corresponding 2030 Agenda highlight the many dimensions that make people’s lives more fulfilling, more prosperous and more inclusive. As populations around the world begin to age, more attention is needed on how countries better prepare to care for those most vulnerable and in particular, our elderly, our disabled and our marginalised. This starts with our carers.
But delivering care is only part of the solution, and support for people in need, today should also encompass preventive care, healthy ageing, early intervention technologies, nutritional guidelines and social protection system, or what is often referred to as ‘cradle-to-grave,’ care.