Long-Term Care
Long-Term Care
Jacquetta Kelley
HCS/310
September 12, 2010
Shannon Packard
Long-term care is one of the options an individual has when it comes to care and treatment needed when one becomes older, disabled or develops a chronic illness. With the possibility of needing to receive such services in the future there are certain things one must ask them self, such as: What is this delivery systems role in providing services? What type of contribution, or lack of contribution, does it make to the overall management of healthcare services? When transitioning patients from one level of care to another what role does long term care play? What types of services are provided to patients and how do the services fit into the continuum of care? Lastly, with the future trends in health care how will the services patients receive be affected to keep up with the changes made to health care? Long-term care is generally provided in a facility such as nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities and long-term chronic care hospitals (MedicineNet, 2003). However this care can be provided in other settings as well like the patients home, home of a friend or family member or an adult day care facility (Day, n.d.). This delivery systems role in providing services falls in the residential and care of the patients. They are concerned with continuing and/or enhance the patient’s ability to operate independently for as long as possible, making a comfortable social and physical environment to enhance the individual’s independence and quality of life and providing the best services to better meet the expectations of the patients as well as his or her family and friends (Stone, 2000). With this role in mind how does the long-term care service contribute to the management of healthcare services? With long-term care management of healthcare services may be more difficult due to the decreased mental and physical capabilities of the
Jacquetta Kelley
HCS/310
September 12, 2010
Shannon Packard
Long-term care is one of the options an individual has when it comes to care and treatment needed when one becomes older, disabled or develops a chronic illness. With the possibility of needing to receive such services in the future there are certain things one must ask them self, such as: What is this delivery systems role in providing services? What type of contribution, or lack of contribution, does it make to the overall management of healthcare services? When transitioning patients from one level of care to another what role does long term care play? What types of services are provided to patients and how do the services fit into the continuum of care? Lastly, with the future trends in health care how will the services patients receive be affected to keep up with the changes made to health care? Long-term care is generally provided in a facility such as nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities and long-term chronic care hospitals (MedicineNet, 2003). However this care can be provided in other settings as well like the patients home, home of a friend or family member or an adult day care facility (Day, n.d.). This delivery systems role in providing services falls in the residential and care of the patients. They are concerned with continuing and/or enhance the patient’s ability to operate independently for as long as possible, making a comfortable social and physical environment to enhance the individual’s independence and quality of life and providing the best services to better meet the expectations of the patients as well as his or her family and friends (Stone, 2000). With this role in mind how does the long-term care service contribute to the management of healthcare services? With long-term care management of healthcare services may be more difficult due to the decreased mental and physical capabilities of the
References: Coleman, E. A. & Fox, P. D. (2004). One Patient, Many Places: Managing Health Care Transitions, Part I: Introduction, Accountability, Information for Patients in Transition. The Care Transitions Program. Retrieved from http://www.caretransitions.org/documents/One%20Pt%20Many%20Places%20Part%201%20-%20ALTC.pdf Day, T. (n.d.). About Long Term Care. National Care Planning Council. Retrieved from http://longtermcarelink.net/eldercare/long_term_care.htm Hawkins, M. (2010). Management Practices in Long Term Care. eHow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_6134331_management-practices-long-term-care.html Labor Management Project. (2009, January). The Future of Technology in Long-Term Care [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://1199seiubenefits.org/Admin/Assets/AssetContent/ee037cb2-8485-4ca9-975c-ba8c2d39222e/546bfa9e-94e2-495f-9d30-54cc81f55e47/61711bda-8236-4b7d-b30c-0bf18ffa6295/1/11-QCC_Conference_Slides_6N_VCNY_2pptx.pdf. MedicineNet. (2003). Definition of Long-term care facility. Retrieved from http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=24859 National Institute of Nursing Research. (2006). Transitions in Long-term Care. Retrieved from http://www.ninr.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/87C83B44-6FC6-4183-96FE-67E00623ACE0/4777/Transition.pdf Stone, R. I. (2000). Long-Term Care for the Elderly with Disabilities: Current Policy, Emerging Trends, and Implications for the Twenty-First Century. Milbank Memorial Fund. Retrieved from http://www.milbank.org/0008stone/#role