A comparative study of long-term care systems in Uruguay, Costa Rica and Cuba

Abstract

 This study aims to compare the elderly care services in Cuba with those in Costa Rica and Uruguay, countries that have formalized care systems. The demographic situation of each country is analyzed, the regulatory framework is compared, and the characteristics of the services and coverage, the financing schemes, and the quality of said services are addressed.

The results show that all three countries have significant levels of ageing, which will increase the demand for elderly care services. In Costa Rica and Uruguay, several ministries participate in the formulation and implementation of care policies, along with users and with the public and private sectors. Although, integration is not always guaranteed.

In contrast, Cuba does not apply functionality-measuring tools to exclude less severely dependent people and its services are mostly state-run with a dispersed regulatory framework. Uruguay and Costa Rica share a similar financing scheme, with fiscal limitations that complicate expanding service coverage. In Cuba, services are state financed and co-payed by users, and covered by social security if users or their families cannot afford them.

In general, all three countries have quality standards that ensure minimum requirements on infrastructure, personnel and services.