“With baby boomers aging, the cost of long-term care is set to triple in the next 30 years. What’s our plan for dealing with this?,” by Bonnie-Jeanne Macdonald and Michael Wolfson, The Globe and Mail “Long-term care in Canada is facing major sustainability challenges – and it’s an issue that we cannot afford to ignore. Research released Tuesday by the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University shows that if Canada continues on its current track, the cost of publicly funded long-term care for seniors – including nursing homes and home care – is expected to more than triple in 30 years, rising from
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“CMS to label cited nursing homes with ‘Do not proceed’ icon on Nursing Home Compare website,” by Danielle Brown, McKnight’s LTC News “CMS unveiled the labeling plans as part of an unfolding five-pillar plan that includes improving transparency for consumers. Starting Oct. 23, the ‘Do not proceed’ symbol will be placed next to facilities that have been cited for abuse, neglect or exploitation. Authorities call the open-palm display in a red circle ‘a consumer alert icon.’” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Let’s see. First pay nursing homes less than the cost of the
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“Managing care of residents with dementia? There’s an app for that,” by Alicia Lasek, McKnight’s LTC News “A dementia care app for residents and long-term care community managers has won top prize in a technology competition sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. MapHabit is mobile software that visually guides people with dementia and their caregivers through activities of daily living. Using visual cues, it prompts users to follow simple commands to perform daily tasks, such as taking pills or brushing teeth.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): A benign use for our electronic
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“EDITORIAL: Financing long-term care sustainably,” Taipei Times “Regardless of whether tax-based or insurance-based financing is used, there is no way that the government can bear the responsibility of financing long-term care alone. Instead, the government should emphasize its management role and properly use the limited funds to serve the needs of those who require long-term care. Before attempting to reach a consensus on how to fund the long-term care program, the government should try its hardest to make appropriate use of profit-making institutions, non-profit social welfare groups, local communities and even family caregivers.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President,
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“Why Hospitals Are Getting Into The Housing Business,” by Markian Hawryluk, Kaiser Health News “Legally and morally, hospitals cannot discharge patients if they have no safe place to go. So patients who are homeless, frail or live alone, or have unstable housing, can occupy hospital beds for weeks or months — long after their acute medical problem is resolved. For hospitals, it means losing money because a patient lingering in a bed without medical problems doesn’t generate much, if any, income. Meanwhile, acutely ill patients may wait days in the ER to be moved to a floor because a hospital’s
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“Poll: Most Older Adults Wary of Telemedicine,” Futurity “Of those surveyed, only 4% had had a video-based telehealth visit with a doctor via smartphone or computer in the past year. They had mixed reactions. Meanwhile, more than half of all those polled didn’t even know if their health providers offer telehealth visits at all. More than 80% of older adults polled expressed at least one concern about seeing a doctor or other provider virtually rather than in person. And 47% worried about getting the technology to work. But more than half said they’d be willing to try telehealth in some
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