The Future of Long-Term Care : Social and Policy Issues

Long-term care has emerged as an important issue in American society. The population of persons with chronic illnesses and disabilities, dependent upon supportive care, has grown rapidly and will increase sharply when Baby Boomers join the ranks of old age in the early part of the twenty-first century. Yet the financing and provision of adequate supportive care is becoming increasingly problematic for individuals, families, health care organizations, and governments. Drawing on a distinguished group of contributors, The Future of Long-Term Care looks at the full range of issues likely to affect planning and policy for this important facet of the health care system. Comprehensive and multidisciplinary in scope, it examines the developments that have brought long-term care to the forefront of nationwide concern, as well as the factors that will make it more pressing in the future. The chapters discuss the history of the issues; populations needing care and the challenges of providing it; the future of settings for care; and social and policy concerns. Health policy, gerontology, and geriatrics professionals will find this a useful book for reference, programming, and planning. Topics and contributors include: Issues Affecting the Future of Long-Term Care Robert H. Binstock, Leighton E. Cluff, and Otto von Mering The Evolution of Long-Term Care Martha Holstein and Thomas R. Cole Forecasting the Future of Long-Term Care Dennis Kodner Older People Dependency, and Trends in Supportive Care T. Franklin Williams and Helena Temkin-Greener Trends among the Younger Persons with Disability and Chronic Disease A. E. Benjamin The Role of Technology in Long-Term Care Leighton E. Cluff Care for Persons with Complex Chronic Illness Mathy D. Mezey Care in the Nursing Home Robert L. Kane Care in the Home and Other Community Settings James J. Callahan, Jr. The Financing and Organization of Long-Term Care Mark Meiners The Politics of Enacting Long-Term Care Insurance Robert H. Binstock Ethical Issues in Long-Term Care Nancy Neveloff Dubler American Culture and Long-Term Care Otto von Mering Forecasting the Future of Long-Term Care Dennis L. Kodner