Long-Term Care Facilities: Services, Successes, and Failures

Many services are available to help seniors stay in their homes. These services are increasing in popularity as more seniors are choosing community care over institutionalized care. Two main services that assist seniors in this area are adult day care and home health care.

Find out an adult day care and a home health care in your vicinity or using the Internet.

Based on the knowledge gained from your research, respond to three of the following questions:

• Adult day care programs began more like a social model; however, over time, they have developed as a medical model. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
• Adult day care is being described as gap filler between institutional and non-institutional care? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
• What population comprises the largest group receiving care in adult day care programs? Why?
• Do you think receiving patients with more medical problems has impacted adult day care services? Why? How has this effected staffing?
• Which success factor has had the greatest impact on the cost-effectiveness of health care services? How?
• What impact has home health care had on the quality of life for consumers? Provide examples to support your answer.
• Is there a time when home health care and adult day care is no longer appropriate for a senior? What criteria are used to establish this?