ABSTRACT

This chapter shows the inadequacies of social care for the increasing population of older dependent people in Argentina, and particularly the gender inequalities both in providing and receiving care. It discusses social and regional inequalities, especially in healthy life expectancy. The chapter shows that although Argentina has virtually universal retirement pensions and health coverage, social care relies almost exclusively on the family. The methods of two studies carried out by the author are then described, one of institutions for older dependent people in Buenos Aires and the other a longitudinal study of costs, both financial and emotional, of caring for elderly dependent people with prepayment health plans in Buenos Aires. The chapter then reports the findings from these studies. It also describes gender inequalities in providing and receiving care. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the need for affordable long-term care for older people to be put on the public agenda in Argentina.