Long-Term Care - Ethical Issues and Political Issues Long-term care involves providing a wide range of complex medical and social services for the disadvantaged and elderly Americans or the disabled. These services range from daily life assistance to daily life (such as bathing, eating and flowing), to various family health and community services, to the institutionalization of nursing homes. The huge and rapidly growing population and potential demand for these services highlight the urgency of the problem (Agich, 2003). By the end of 2030, the elderly population will grow four times as fast as the population, and more than two-thirds of Americans over 65 will need some long-term care before they die. 77m baby boomers are already …show more content…
There is no easier way to solve the problem directly. In ethical issues, decisions on long-term care are often compromised, a complex compromise involving the elderly and family members. And it's a long-term decision, but it shouldn't be seen as permanent. In addition, health and social factors can be changed in the formation of long-term care policies. The old man's condition could be better or worse. The ability or willingness of informal caregivers to provide long-term care can be changed and policy constraints may change. As a result, the elderly, family members, health care and social services professionals should be aware of the life of old people and support degree of change depends on any long-term care planning and arrangement (Robert E. …show more content…
Many citizens and beneficiaries are even more confused by the results of state and federal regulations. They often don't know what the various types of solutions contain. At the same time, caregivers often face the struggle for hardship, different compensation and regulatory requirements. The exercise of state power is mainly in the private long-term care insurance market. They are also responsible for all supplier licenses and health care standards. The long-term care policy is announced through the state licensing authority. Long-term care services need to be further diversity, can adapt to disabled young people to the frail elderly, nursing, etc. all kinds of a wide range of conditions, so simple of unified standards of the country is not realistic. The integrity of federal funds is one thing; a high standard implementation, the standard is another thing. But without it, innovative financing and delivery problems continue to be addressed to ensure continued inefficiency, inefficiency and waste (Robert E.
This ethical scenario presents an 86 year old female with numerous health issues and chronic illnesses. Mrs. Boswell’s advancing Alzheimer’s disease makes it extremely difficult to initiate dialysis, leading her physician to conclude a poor quality of life. The ethical dilemma portrayed in this case is between non-maleficence and autonomy. Health care workers should focus on promoting the patient’s overall wellbeing and weigh the benefits and risks of the course of action, while also considering what the family declares they want done. Since the patient is deemed unable to make decisions, the goal is to collaborate with family, assess patient quality of life, address prognosis, and establish realistic care goals.
Ethical principles is focused on the morals and values of the individual who has dementia (Cribb and Duncan, 2002) Decision made by family to have a person who has dementia to live in a residential home from their personal home can be seen as inconsiderate to the individual values. It is for the best for the decision to be made before the individual was ill, the family members will feel less guilty. In the event that circumstances of the family members are not capable of caring it is understandable (Curthbert and Quallington, 2008). On the other hand this could be the best decision as cares in residential homes have skills development to provide professional care (Nice, 2010). Naidoo and Willis (2009) stated that the consequential theory is there to measure the end result of action in this case considering the health and wellbeing of people with dementia. The pr...
After reviewing the current state of the long-term care policy from the United States, it
Nelda McCall (2001). Long Term Care: Definition, Demand, Cost, and Financing. Chicago: Health Administration Press, pg. 19.
This paper will review the many aspects of long-term care problems and many challenges there are within Long-Term care. We will look at rising costs within long-Term Care, patient abuse, will look at the quality of life, shortages of nurses and demand that the elderly are putting on the medical field. The type of care that Long-Term Care had been giving to its patients and the changes within Long-Term Care.
An aging population is indeed a problem for the society and will possibly cause many social and economic difficulties in the future. According to David Foot (2003), professor of Economics at University of Toronto, an effective birth rate of 2.2% against current 1.75% will be necessary to replace the current work force in the near future and the government’s policy of bringing in more immigrants will eventually fail (Foot, 2003, 2). However some people predict that the increased size of an aging population will drive growth in the home, health care, and many other industries resulting in job creation and economic growth (Marketwire, 2013, 1). Majority of the people are of the opinion that the issue will be mainly in the health care and economic activity. As humans age, they start to develop health problems, leading to more visits to a medical clinic putting extra burden on health care system.
I will discuss how LTC contributes to the U.S. Healthcare System, the targeted clients, employees that work within the long-term setting, the benefits and services offered within LTC, and the expected outcomes for individuals in a long-term facility. I will discuss the legalities and regulatory issues faced within the LTC setting along with ethical issues that may impede successful facilitation of a long-term facility.
Nursing homes who receive federal funds are required to comply with federal laws that specify that residents receive a high quality of care. In 1987 Congress responded to reports of widespread neglect and abuse in nursing homes during 1980’s, which enacted legislation to reform nursing home regulations and require nursing homes participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to comply with certain requirements for quality of care. The legislation, included in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, which specifies that a nursing home “must provide services and activities to attain or maintain the highest practicable phys...
Taking care of the individuals that are getting older takes many different needs. Most of these needs cannot be given from the help of a family. This causes the need of having to put your love one into a home and causing for the worry of how they will be treated. It is important for the family and also the soon to be client to feel at home in their new environment. This has been an issue with the care being provided for each individual, which has lead to the need of making sure individuals have their own health care plan.
With the aging population growing faster every year many families must make a difficult decision whether their loved ones should live in assisted living or nursing home facilities. I can relate because I made the decision to care for my mother at my home. Some people do not have the money or resources to care for their parent so they must live in a facility for health and safety reasons.
African American senior citizens face a health care crisis too. They have worked all of their lives to secure retirement, but their retirement has been threatened because of the rising cost of long-term medical care. Insurance companies have failed to provide affordable long-term care, protection that most senior citizens need. This lack of long term care and affordability has been a serious problem for the health care system. In some cities, the shortage of hospital beds is so serious that it is common for patients to stay in emergency rooms before they can be admitted to an inpatient room (Drake 109). More than one thousand hospital beds are occupied by people who could be better care for in nursing homes or through home health care (Drake 110). Of the disabled elderly 1.3 million reside in nursing homes (Drake 10). These patients are unable to perform two or more of the basic activities of daily living without assistance.
Upon growing older there are many decisions to be made. Among one of the most difficult and perhaps most important decisions is where the elder person will live and how long-term care needs will be met when he/she is no longer capable of doing so independently due to the incapacity that accompanies many with old age. Nursing homes seem to be the popular choice for people no matter the race, gender, or socioeconomic status with 1.5 million Americans being admitted to them yearly.[3] Because nursing homes are in such a high demand and are not cheap, $77.9 billion was spent for nursing home care in the United States in 2010 alone, they are under criticism of many professions including the legal profession, which is in the process of establishing elder law as a defense to issues with in the elder community. Nursing homes have a duty to provide many things to the elderly including medical, social, pharmaceutical, and dietary services so that the individual may maintain the highest well-being possible.[4] Stated another way 'a nursing facility must care for its residents in such a manner and in such an environment as will promote maintenance or enhancement of the q...
In conclusion there needs to be an increase in government funding for long term care facilities to convey maximum ability to provide quality of care to elders and equal accessibility too homes and care. Ways that can produce this outcome are increases in staff funding for training and recruitment, as well as for equipment to help increase care. Government funding should also help elders decrease the cost of living in nursing homes and allow equal accessibility to homes and care in homes.
As the population of the United States ages and lifespan increases, the U.S. is being faced with challenges that could either hurt the country or benefit it if plans are executed correctly. By the year 2050, more than thirty-two million Americans will be over the age eighty and the share of the 80-plus generation will have doubled to 7.4 percent. Health care and aging population has become a great deal considering the impact it is having on the U.S. The United States is heading into another century with an outstanding percentage of people within the aging population. Today’s challenges involving health care and the aging populations are the employees of health professions being a major percentage of the aging population, the drive into debt, and prevention and postponement of disease and disability.
Today, world’s population is aging at a very fast pace and United States is no exception to this demographic change. According to the U.S Census Bureau, senior citizens will be accounted for 21% of the American population in 2050 (Older Americans, 2012). Although living longer lives may not seem like a negative sign, living longer does not necessarily mean living healthier. Older adults of today are in need of long-term and health care services more than any generation before them (Older Americans, 2012). Because of the growing need for senior care, millions of families are facing critical decisions on how to provide care for their parents. In addition, declining birthrates may cause people to have less familial care and support as they age. To be able to provide the necessary care for senior citizens government funded long term care insurance program is needed.