Attitudes toward long-term care contain a strong residue of negativity in today's society and current problems with the system augment such perceptions. Unless dealt with now, this will only get worse, as the 85-and-older crowd is the fastest growing part of the population, and the first wave of Baby Boomers is approaching 60. Exploring and delineating the issues from every angle, the Handbook of Long-Term Care Administration and Policy addresses key areas such as history, trends, and outlook for this growing concern. The first part of the handbook provides the context for the rest of the volume. The heart of the text, it covers topics such as public perception, understanding system failure, and the tensions between the social model and the medical model. Part two focuses on recipients and their care givers while part three emphasizes services, exploring models that confront the barriers to achieving coordination of care. Part four addresses issues related to the administration of care such as the context in which governing bodies have evolved, ethical concerns, and the importance and benefits of transparency of information. The book concludes with an examination of policymaking and funding, the challenges inherent in getting long term care on the public agenda, geriatric mental health needs, and future issues that will fuel a national debate. A stand-alone text introducing long-term care administration and policy, this book provides a foundation for understanding the fragmented service delivery system and a guide through the maze of long-term health care.

SETTING THE STAGE. History, Concepts and Overview. Public Perceptions of Long-Term Care. Looking for Care in All the Wrong Places: A Narrative Approach to Understanding System Failure. Medicalization of Long-Term Care: Weighing the Risks. PROVIDING AND RECEIVING CARE. Older Long-Term Care Recipients. Younger Individuals with Disabilities: Compatibility of Long-Term Care and Independent Living. Informal Caregivers and Caregiving: Living at Home with Personal Care. Trends and Challenges in Building a 21st Century Long-Term Care Workforce. The Role and Responsibilities of the Medical Director and Attending Physician in Long-Term Care Facilities. FOCUSING ON SERVICES. Long-Term Care Services, Care Coordination and the Continuum of Care. Legal Issues Related to Long-Term Care: Elder Law, Estate Planning and Asset Protection. Long-Term Care Housing Trends Past and Present. ADMINISTERING CARE. Long-Term Care Governance and Administration. Improving the Quality of Long-Term Care with Better Information. Long-Term Care Housing Types and Design. POLICYMAKING AND FINANCING. The Politics of Long-Term Care. Geriatric Mental Health Policy: Impact on Service Delivery and Directions for Effecting Change. Private Financing for Long-Term Care. Public Financing for Long-Term Care.