In Case You Missed It: New and Noteworthy This Week

This weekly blog series is a roundup of recent news items and developments that I found interesting and would like to share.

Assessing Progress on the Institute of Medicine Report The Future of Nursing

See this interesting article on the use of robotics in Japan to extend active and  working life. Graying Japan Tries to Embrace the Golden Years

This Washington Post editorial summarizes some of the reasons we at ACCESS Health International are so interested in the healthcare and social systems of Singapore. I am following up my book Affordable Excellence with new studies that will form the basis of a new book, A City for All Ages, that describes how Singapore is planning for demographic change. I firmly support the belief that there is much that the United States can learn from Singapore and other countries, and that others may benefit from some excellent approaches to elder care and social care in the United States. What Singapore’s Plan for an Aging Population Can Teach the United States

Please see this most interesting note from the Chan Zuckerbergs on the occasion of the birth of their child. A Letter to Our Daughter

Australia to Spend A$1bn on “Ideas Boom”

What a good idea for people of all ages. Inclusive Gym That Caters for Folk with Disabilities

Please see this excellent report of the role of migrants in home and community care of the elderly (and chronically ill) in the United Kingdom. It will come as no surprise that a forward looking migrant program is central to provision of affordable, high quality care for the elderly, particularly so for homecare. Although the case here is specific to the United Kingdom, the analysis applies to almost all high income countries facing their own demographic challenges, including those in Asia, Europe, and the United States. Moved to Care: The Impact of Migration on the Adult Social Care Workforce

Please see this valuable summary of the Commonwealth Fund’s report Primary Care Physicians in Ten Countries Report Challenges Caring For Patients With Complex Health Needs, published in the journal Health Affairs. These are problems in high and low income countries. Primary Care is a Team Sport

Remembering the Right to Health

Please see the prime minister of Japan’s vision for a healthier world. Japan’s Vision for a Peaceful and Healthier World

The need to include all in universal health coverage is why we have added the following to our mission statement: Our vision is that all people no matter where they live, no matter what their age, have the right to high quality, affordable healthcare. Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health Needs Universal Health Coverage

See Richard Horton’s thoughtful remarks on the need for coordinated efforts to confront the issues chronic diseases in countries rich and poor. Offline: Chronic Diseases — The Social Justice Issue of Our Time

India Still Struggles with Rural Doctor Shortages

India — Small Progress in Healthcare, Decline in Rural Service

India’s Medical Education System Hit by Scandals

Please see this though analysis of the strengths and (mostly) weaknesses of healthcare  in India. It is a serious study that has received substantial media coverage in India. Assuring Health Coverage for All in India

Relevant to our work with tuberculosis. Ethiopia Could Be a Model Country for Tuberculosis Control

Please see this description of the Swiss health system. It relies on mandatory health insurance with subsidies for insurance and healthcare costs for low income groups. The system delivers excellent results at a cost of about eleven percent of the GDP, about two thirds of which is paid out of pocket. This Swiss health system works well at present. There are concerns regarding sustainability due to a growing proportion of the population that is older. Individual Responsibility and Community Solidarity — The Swiss Healthcare System

I recommend the book Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos into Confidence for all of us interested in elder care and care of the chronically ill. It is a vivid description in which Gail Sheehy, the author of the original book Passages that defined the “mid life crises,” describes her experience in caring for her husband for seventeen years of cancer therapy. She abstracts many useful lessons from her experience and provides a guide for caregivers.