To define policies to cope with the aging population of developed countries, one must combine several analytical dimensions in space and in time. Is there a contradition between short-term policies to contain the expansion of the care segment of health services and the potential increase in needs for the “old-old” segment of the population? How should policies aimed at the security of income be balanced with policies aimed at the organization of services, be they curative services or local services designed to protect the autonomy and dignity of the elderly? In this text, an attempt is made to put together the bits and pieces of the policy for aging puzzle.
