Challenges of long-term care call for new policies

Americans are living longer today because of changes in life-style and improvements in technology. As a result, the number of persons with debilitating conditions is increasing, leading to a greater need for care. How will we meet this need, and who will pay? Both social and public policy must meet the challenge of caring for disabled persons. We must identify the social good we wish to achieve and the issues that affect the realization of that good. The issues to be considered in forming policies on long-term care include: Age as the primary criterion; Basis for benefits; Informal support; Medical/social mix; Home care; Mental/physical health mix; Reimbursement techniques; Quality control; Competition; For-profit/not-for-profit mix; Freedom of choice; Burden of payment.