LCHE seminar - Economics of Disability: The Challenges of Long-term Care and the Role of Family Caregivers in Switzerland

Topic of the Seminar

Economics of Disability - The Challenges of Long-term Care and the Role of Family Caregivers in Switzerland

Long-term care (LTC), as it is currently organized, will be unable to cope with the increasing care needs of the population. Currently, one in seven people worldwide experiences some form of disability, with nearly 20% facing severe limitations. This situation is no different in Switzerland, where the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases places disability at the core of public health concerns and straining health and social systems. Expanding LTC is essential yet challenging to address because, besides being expensive, it already faces a workforce shortage.

One solution to expanding care provision is to examine the role of family members in the caregiving process. However, much of their work remains invisible and unrecognized as it occurs within the family environment. This project aimed to investigate the contributions of family caregivers in providing long-term care in Switzerland, particularly in high-disability contexts such as paraplegia/tetraplegia (SCI). By examining the nature and extent of their caregiving responsibilities, we estimated the economic value of their work to assess the cost-effectiveness of alternative care options. 

Speaker

• Prof. Diana Pacheco

Diana Pacheco is Professor at the University of Lucerne in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, with a denomination in Healthy Aging and Rehabilitation. She also leads the Health Economics & Services Group at Swiss Paraplegic Research in Nottwil. With a background in Economics, her research interests lie in the intersection of health economics, health services research, social policy, disability studies, impact evaluation, and aging & rehabilitation.

Practical information

• Free admission
• No need to register
• This seminar is given in English

About LCHE

The Lausanne Center for Health Economics, Behavior, and Policy (LCHE) at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) promotes research, teaching, and policy advice in the fields of health economics, behavior, and policy.

The interdisciplinary center brings together researchers of the Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), the Faculty of Biology and Medicine (CHUV-FBM), and the Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC).