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Also we need to encourage current workers to give up their jobs to care for elderly parents; that's not easy as (a) it's hard to define how much care an individual needs (b) the money carers get is ridiculously small and needs increasing to act as a *pull* and (c) after death, the carers will have no income unless they start working again - and that needs to be addressed. Eg, someone could be caring from 55 to 62 and then be unemployed, and at that age virtually unemployable.
That is a very interesting point. Because we looked after our Dad at home when he was dying from a brain tumour, we saved the NHS a fortune. It was only possible because my brother moved in and I have a very flexible job that allows me to move things around or/and have cover and work at home.
Perhaps caring for dying parents should be treated like maternity/paternity leave?