Long term care services must be individualized, integrated, and coordinated. Why and why are these elements essential in the delivery of long term care?
Long term care services must be individualized because when dealing with chronic conditions and functional disabilities, there can be wide variations in individual needs. Accordingly, long term care includes a wide range of services that are tailored to i
Age is not the primary determinant for long term care, Why?
Age is not the primary determinant for long term care, functional impairment is. Although functional impairment is common among the elderly that doesn't mean all elderly need long term care. Many elderly people remain to function independently regardless
What is meant by "Quality of Life?" What are the five main features of this multifaceted concept?
Quality of life means to have a sense of satisfaction, fulfillment, and self worth. In LTC Quality of Life is a multifaceted concept that recognizes at least five factors. 1. Life style factors - associated with personal enrichment and making ones life me
What are some of the challenges in delivery of mental health services for the elderly?
Assessing psychiatric illness in geriatric patients can be difficult for variety of reasons, especially because medical comorbidity can obscure a diagnosis. For example a patient with multiple chronic illness can often have symptoms of dementia or depress
Discuss the preventive aspects of LTC
The preventive aspects of LTC have the objective of promoting health and minimizing the need for institutionalization. Both health and social services come into play. For example good nutrition is an important preventive measure along with access to medic
Discuss the therapeutic aspects of LTC
these include restorative therapies to help restore physical functioning. Restorative services include but go beyond the typical rehabilitate therapies like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Restoration of functioning is integrat
How do formal and informal care differ? What is the importance of informal care in LTC delivery?
Formal LTC is provided by various community-based and institutional agencies who get reimbursed for the services they deliver. Informal LTC is provided by family and friends who do not get paid for the services they provide. Informal care reduces the use
What are the main goals of community bases and institution based LTC services?
Community based long term care has three main objectives. 1. to supplement informal caregiving where more advanced skills are needed to address the patients needs. 2. to provide respite to family members from caregiving stress 3. to delay or prevent insti
What implications does an aging population have for LTC services
Today over 12.5% of the population is 65 and over. By 2030 it will be 20%. Although age is not a predictor of LTC the elderly are more prone to chronic conditions, multiple illnesses, and functional limitations. A growing elderly population is expected to
Why is it that some children and adolescents may need long term care?
Some children may need LTC if they have birth related functional impairments such as brain damage, which can occur before or during child birth. Example of birth related disorders include cerebral palsy, autism, spinabifida, and epilepsy. These children g
Why has long term care become and important service for people with HIV/ AIDS
AIDS has evolved from an end stage terminal disease into a chronic condition with the help of modern drugs. With reduced mortality comes the prevalence of HIV in the population increasing, including among the elderly. Over a period of time people with AID