Karen, I have no idea what the Americans do with old and poor people coming out of hospital too weak and too dependent to live truly independent lives. I am sure that McKinsey is not organising a trip to view this kind of patient.
It is more likely that they are touring expensive facilities and being shown "telemedicine" and other software and equipment. The Americans have a saturated domestic healthcare market, and they need to export... to previously public health systems in Europe.
In answer to your question, I believe that we will have to go back to caring for the elderly at home, with sons and daughters taking on, hopefully with good grace, the burden and the pleasure of their parents for as long as possible, until the final, hospital-based days or weeks. And then perhaps the elderly will feel that they should be doing something to help around the house. It doesn't have to be terrible. |