Intergenerational care: an exploration of consumer preferences and willingness to pay for care

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To identify feasible models of intergenerational care programmes, that is, care of children and older people in a shared setting, to determine consumer preferences and willingness to pay.

Method: Feasible models were constructed in extensive consultations with a panel of experts using a Delphi technique (n = 23) and were considered based on their practical implementation within an Australian setting. This informed a survey tool that captured the preferences and willingness to pay for these models by potential consumers, when compared to the status quo. Information collected from the surveys (n = 816) was analysed using regression analysis to identify fundamental drivers of preferences and the prices consumers were willing to pay for intergenerational care programmes.

Results: The shared campus and visiting models were identified as feasible intergenerational care models. Key attributes of these models included respite day care; a common educational pedagogy across generations; screening; monitoring; and evaluation of participant outcomes. Although parents were more likely to take up intergenerational care compared to the status quo, adult carers reported a higher willingness to pay for these services. Educational attainment also influenced the likely uptake of intergenerational care.

Conclusions: The results of this study show that there is demand for the shared campus and the visiting campus models among the Australian community. The findings support moves towards consumer-centric models of care, in line with national and international best practice. This consumer-centric approach is encapsulated in the intergenerational care model and enables greater choice of care to match different consumer demands.

KEYWORDS:

• Mild cognitive impairment
• service provision
• caregiving and interventions
• types of services
• social support

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Professor Susan Kurrle and Dr Shyama Ratnarsiri for their assistance in designing the study protocol and feedback. The study was funded by Hornsby Ku-Ran-Gai hospital and health services.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Yet in 2014, there were 248,600 children whose parents reported a need for additional formal child care (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015).

2. Separate model refers to either the separate child care or adult respite care center. This model was not evaluated.

Additional information

Funding

Hornsby Ku-Ran-Gai hospital and health services.