Community Based Long Term Care

Among the issues confronting America is long-term care for frail, older persons and others with chronic conditions and functional limitations that limit their ability to care for themselves. Improving the Quality of Long-Term Care takes a comprehensive look at the quality of care and quality of life in long-term care, including nursing homes, home health agencies, residential care facilities, family members and a variety of others. This book describes the current state of long-term care, identifying problem areas and offering recommendations for federal and state policymakers. Who uses long-term care? How have the characteristics of this population changed over time? What paths do people follow in long term care? The committee provides the latest information on these and other key questions. This book explores strengths and limitations of available data and research literature especially for settings other than nursing homes, on methods to measure, oversee, and improve the quality of long-term care. The committee makes recommendations on setting and enforcing standards of care, strengthening the caregiving workforce, reimbursement issues, and expanding the knowledge base to guide organizational and individual caregivers in improving the quality of care.

"This open access book outlines the challenges of supporting the health and wellbeing of older adults around the world and offers examples of solutions designed by stakeholders, healthcare providers, and public, private and nonprofit organizations in the United States. The solutions presented address challenges including: providing person-centered long-term care, making palliative care accessible in all healthcare settings and the home, enabling aging-in-place, financing long-term care, improving care coordination and access to care, delivering hospital-level and emergency care in the home and retirement community settings, merging health and social care, supporting people living with dementia and their caregivers, creating communities and employment opportunities that are accessible and welcoming to those of all ages and abilities, and combating the stigma of aging. The innovative programs of support and care in Aging Well serve as models of excellence that, when put into action, move health spending toward a sustainable path and greatly contribute to the well-being of older adults."--Provided by publisher.

An enlightening review of the successes and failures of several federally funded community-based projects that offered elderly persons an alternative to nursing home care. Policymakers, caregivers, and students of public administration and gerontology must read this valuable book.

Long-term care services include a broad range of services that meet the needs of frail older people and other adults with functional limitations. Long-Term care services provided by paid, regulated providers are a significant component of personal health care spending in the United States. This report presents descriptive results from the first wave of the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP), which was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). This report provides information on the supply, organizational characteristics, staffing, and services offered by providers of long-term care services; and the demographic, health, and functional composition of users of these services. Service users include residents of nursing homes and residential care communities, patients of home health agencies and hospices, and participants of adult day services centers.

This comprehensive graduate textbook focuses on the full spectrum of long-term care settings ranging from family and community based care through supportive housing options to a variety of institutional long-term care alternatives. Integrating theory and practice, the book features the perspectives of diverse fields regarding current long-term care options and new directions for the future. Prominent scholars from history, environmental design, family caregiving, gerontology, social service delivery, clinical care, health service delivery, public policy, finance, law, and ethics explore such themes as: Relationships among independence, dependence, and interdependence Ethical considerations in the provision of long-term care Decision-making in long-term care Fluidity and transitions in long-term care The lived experience of long-term care A micro-macro perspective ranging from the individual to societal institutions The book examines future directions for long-term care, considering such factors as the interface of technology and long-term care, cultural diversity, and relationships between voluntary and paid services. Each chapter includes case examples, study questions, and exercises, additional resources, and website links. The appendices provide a glossary and a list of acronyms. Instructorís resources are also available. Key Features: Focuses on the full array of long-term care options Integrates theory and practice Incorporates the perspectives of diverse fields including history, environmental design, family caregiving, social services and public policy Includes numerous case examples, study questions, exercises, and additional resources Considers new approaches to long-term care incorporating technology and considering cultural diversity and the relationship between voluntary and paid services