Resources, Resources and Resources: Long-Term Care Service Provision of Older People in England, the Netherlands and Taiwan

This paper forms a part of PhD research to examine the way each country has contributed to the long-term care of older people between the East and West. In particular, attention has been drawn to the issue of resources in long-term care. It demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of the existing resources in each country. It also considers the capacity and capability of the care forces which are likely to have an effect on the quality of older peoples care. It will argue that the approaches of different countries need to be located and understood within the context of broader welfare state models. This article also will point out the complexities and difficulties of mixed economy comparisons. The countries selected (England, the Netherlands and Taiwan) were based on Esping-Andersens original welfare typology. Although I have confirmed the typologies are relevant, the 3 countries chosen in this study are hybrid. It is important to include a country such as Taiwan which shares a Confucian culture with many other states in Asia. It is hoped that it might further encourage a more international approach and not just comparisons between European or English Speaking countries. This paper will draw on an identical qualitative cross-cultural research method on three levels in each country: national, county and municipal. A total of 142 interviews were carried out in 2004-5. In addition, the research was conducted by one researcher to support a uniform application of practical issues in the field and interpretation in the analysis.