Abstract for: Repeatable Solutions: the Case of Elderly-Care Provision

While many of the system dynamics projects and models reported concern one-time initiatives to tackle specific challenges, a large proportion also cluster into classes of common topics. Furthermore, many real-world situations are similar enough that it should be possible to deploy the same model repeatedly, greatly accelerating deployment of model-based solutions and acceptance of the method. One such case concerns the challenge facing 136 Local Authorities in England and Wales, for whom new legislation imposes additional responsibilities to finance the care of frail elderly people who cannot themselves afford that care. Those responsibilities also include minimising costs to local tax-payers and ensuring a viable market for the provision of Residential Homes and Nursing Homes. All Authorities must develop plans during 2015, so modelling-based assistance on a case-by-case basis is quite infeasible. However, since the main elements of the Care-Home system are identical to all such Authorities, it is possible to develop a single planning solution that can be rapidly rolled out across the entire sector. Since near-identical challenges for very similar organisations arise in all domains, it should be possible to adopt similarly repeatable solutions in very many cases.