Real estate developers, insurers, and increasingly private equity firms, are pouring capital into the elderly care market in emerging economies. But our detailed study of China, UAE, India and Brazil shows that business models vary wildly.

China and India are building big assisted living communities. In China, that can involve 10,000-bed capacity projects!  Nursing homes are also taking off in China but tend to be very high end.

Homecare is also booming in India, where the middle classes are used to having servants.  Adding in medicalised homecare skills is relatively easy. A lot of hospital operators are doing this.  In China, drug licensing laws make medicalised homecare far more difficult.

The UAE stands out because the government has the facilility to pay for homecare.  The picture is very different in Brazil, where payment is out of pocket.  But several groups are targeting the luxury market.