The Innovation in Long-term Care (i-LTC) Interest Group will bring together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to advance understanding and practice of innovation within long-term care systems. Centered around three interconnected streams, we aim to explore how innovation can be harnessed to transform LTC.

The first stream adopts a conceptual lens, examining the nature of innovation in long-term care through a comparative perspective. We aim to explore the processes involved in fostering innovation—from micro-level shifts in individual mindsets to macro-level policy and funding ecosystems—while questioning underlying assumptions and highlighting systemic barriers and enablers across different LTC contexts worldwide.

The second stream showcases diverse real-world examples of innovation in LTC, examining both universal challenges and culturally specific solutions. From mobilizing older adults as active community agents to leveraging cutting-edge technology for improved care delivery, this stream will explore innovative practices addressing common pain points faced by LTC systems globally. This stream aims to inspire LTC policy and practice globally and through a comparative approach, identify patterns, successes, and lessons learned across different socioeconomic and cultural settings, fostering a richer understanding of what works and why in fostering sustainable LTC innovations to common challenges.

The third stream emphasizes critical inquiry into strategies for frugal, inclusive, and equitable innovation, questioning for whom innovations are designed and whether they reduce or exacerbate existing age-related or disability-related inequalities. This stream encourages reflection on the ethical, social, and economic implications of innovation, providing a platform to advocate for innovation and approaches to innovation that prioritize inclusivity and social justice.

Overall, through this interest group we seek to catalyze meaningful dialogue and collaborative efforts to reimagine long-term care systems that are innovative, equitable, and responsive to the diverse needs of aging and disabled populations worldwide.

Steering Group:

Juliette Malley, Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Cheryl Chui, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong