Long-term care in the United States: policy themes and promising practices.
This analysis provides an overview of the major policy themes and promising practices emerging in recent years as policymakers and researchers struggle to design a long-term care system that meets the needs of an aging population. Themes that have dominated the long-term care policy debates include: recruiting and retaining a qualified long-term care workforce; devising financing mechanisms for those requiring long-term care; and moving away from an institutional-based long-term care system towards more home- and community-based services. Three promising practices that have emerged in the past few decades include: the culture change movement; service integration that combines medical and social care; and various forms of community residential care that bring together housing and services in a more home-like environment. It concludes with long-term care recommendations for policymakers.
Lehning
Amanda J
AJ
School of Social Welfare, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA. ajlehning@berkeley.edu
Austin
Michael J
MJ
D000375:Aging; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000458:organization & administration; D006278:Medicare / Q000458:organization & administration; D011640:Public Policy; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011788:Quality of Life; D012947:Social Work / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States