Long term care needs cannot be assessed by an estimation of meeting costs the International Longevity Centre (ILC) has said.
'Past Caring? Widening the Debate on Funding Long Term Care', a report from the think tank, said that, while the partnership model, likely to be proposed by the Dilnot Commission, offers opportunities for a sustainable funding system, it suffers from 'the pot fallacy'.
ILC said the fallacy assumes needs can be quantified by estimating the cost of meeting these needs.
In reality, the existence of 'frontiers' within the economy of care - between care provision and health provision, between formal and informal carers, and between care and array of other services which feed into care delivery, most notably housing - defy the notion of the pot.
It is increasingly at these frontiers where innovation in care delivery will occur.
The report's author, Dr Craig Berry, also argues that many aspects of care provision should be more closely integrated with health provision, paid for by the taxpayer but with scope for individuals to top up state-funded provision.
He said: "Crucially, however, not all care needs can be addressed in this way. Care needs are essentially amorphous; many are most appropriately met by families and communities, and the funding system should recognise this amorphousness.
He added that insurance would play a "significant" part. "Given that many people will also seek to top up services or insure against the risk of care needs arising at a level not deemed appropriate for universal, taxpayer-funded services, private insurance will have a significant role in the future of care funding, " he said
