world health day 2012 was marked with the slogan "good health adds life to years". life expectancy is going up in most countries, meaning more and more people live longer and enter an age when they may need health care. meanwhile, birth rates are generally falling. countries and health care systems need to find innovative and sustainable ways to cope with the demographic shift. as stated by john beard, director of the who department of ageing and life course, "with the rapid ageing of populations, finding the right model for long-term care becomes more and more urgent."