The fact is we don't HAVE a "System" of elder care in this country. We have a patchwork of distinct systems(government, private pay, Veterans, "charity"), that barely talk to each other and often contradict each other, everyone playing a game of hot potato to not be the one who pays, and people generally don't plan, so when the need arises to navigate this system, they have no idea what the hell to do, and suboptimal decisions are made all over the place. And it's generally something you only do once in your life, so you don't even get a chance to use what you learn about it. It's horrific.