Meeting the complex health and social care needs of older adults: a response to the recent viewpoint paper on “how to handle gerontocracy”

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a response to the previously published paper on “Gerontocracy”.Design/methodology/approachThis paper views care services through the lens of safeguarding, risks and responsibility in contradistinction from the largely economic and cost relevant argument put forward in the original paper.FindingsThis paper articulates the contribution of informal carers to integrated care solutions solely from an economic perspective overlooks the wider human and social dimensions of care provision in society.Originality/valueEngaging in the wider debate about the status, contribution of informal carers to care solutions highlights the complexity of the carers' role in society which should evoke a more holistic debate of this important topic.