Improving the quality of long-term care

Article Abstract:

Measuring outcomes may be the best way to improve the quality of long-term care. Outcomes assessment involves determining whether patients in a treatment plan experience the outcome that is expected. Other proposals for improving long-term care involve staffing nursing homes with better-trained employees, but this approach will probably increase health care costs. Another approach to quality care is to develop clinical practice guidelines to assure that patients are treated appropriately. However, many elderly nursing home patients have many different health problems that cannot be treated by a single guideline. The Minimum Data Set was created to help determine nursing home patients' physical, social and emotional function. It could serve as a model of an outcomes assessment tool.

Aged, Elderly, Quality management

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Long-term care

Article Abstract:

The early discharge of patients from hospitals is creating an increase in long-term care expenditures because these costs now include care received immediately after discharge. Home health care and nursing home care covered by Medicare are rising. Hospitals may want to provide subacute care to fill empty hospital beds. Assisted living arrangements are a good option. Long-term care is becoming affected by cost-cutting managed care options including geriatric HMO programs. Another managed care option, The Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly, uses a day care concept to improve the health of older people. Another program involves more intensive primary care to cut the need for hospital care.

Social aspects, Finance, Influence, Managed care plans (Medical care), Medicare

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Addressing the ethical, legal, and social issues raised by voting by persons with dementia

Article Abstract:

The emerging policy problem participation in the electoral process by citizens with dementia in the United States is addressesed. It is suggested that the policies that are developed should be monitored and refined based on evidence of effectiveness.

United States, Evaluation, Dementia, Suffrage, Voting rights, Patients, Civil rights

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