We will be publishing several blogs a week

Since 2011 Programa Maior Cuidado (PMC) has been supporting care-dependent older people living with vulnerable families in poor districts of Belo Horizonte, MG.

In Brazil, the number of people aged 70 and over will almost triple between 2020 and 2050, from 13 to 37 million.

Brazil, like many low and middle-income countries (LMICs), is facing a growing challenge in meeting the care needs of increasing numbers of older people (WHO, 2023).

All of us are increasingly aware of how difficult caring for a dependent family member can be -the emotional toll, the exhaustion and uncertainty.

In 2023 the International Labour Organisation estimated 748 million adults were not in paid work because of family care responsibilities.

Staying clean matters to almost all of us for a variety of reasons -dignity, confidence, as well as mental and physical health.

In high-income countries, paid caregiving for older people has been one of the fastest growing areas of employment over the past 30 years.

Caring for an older person with a high level of care need is an incredibly demanding job, especially when the person responsible for performing this role has to do it almost entirely on their own.

Since 2011, the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte has been running an innovative scheme to support care-dependent older people in disadvantaged communities.