With hindsight, he may regret failing to distance himself from Sir William's weaker ideas when he presented the report in Parliament rather as Frank Dobson, the health secretary, distanced himself from the unaffordable parts of this week's royal commission on caring for the elderly.

ECONOMIST: Debating Lawrence | The

Another option not on the table is the status quo - everyone seems clear, when it comes to caring for the elderly and disabled, things cannot go on as they are.

BBC: Warning over social care funding

In the U.S., the Social Security system has taken on most of the burden for caring for elderly adults, a duty that traditionally fell to grown-up children.

WSJ: America's Baby Bust