Dimensions of Long-Term Care Management: An Introduction

Long-term care is one of the fastest-growing segments in the healthcare industry. Societal changes, including the aging of the boomers and an evolution in attitudes toward aging and retirement, will continue to propel long-term care issues to the forefront. With an emphasis on the trends and developments that are transforming long-term care, this book introduces readers to the options available in care settings, programs, and services. The second half of the book relates aspects of management-including leadership, human resources, marketing, regulatory and legal issues, and financing-to long-term care. The authors emphasize the need for flexibility in the long-term care system, recognizing that consumers may need different combinations of services and settings as they age. The importance of technology in care provision is also highlighted. Topics include: residential, home, and community-based care services; cultural diversity and the delivery of services; chronic illness, with a focus on Alzheimer's and related dementias; hospice, palliative, and end-of-life care; consumer education and technology as self-help tools; the design of long-term care facilities; management issues-human resources, marketing, legal, and ethical issues; long-term care financing sources; and regulation of long-term care providers.