Changing the face of long-term care

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Policy
• Sociology of Aging

Background:

• Current long-term care (LTC) models for older adults are founded on protection rather than personal goal achievement.
• Incremental adjustments to existing LTC frameworks are insufficient to address core issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a paradigm shift in long-term care by re-examining its foundational goals.
• To identify necessary changes in the approach and tools used in elder care.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of existing long-term care principles.
• Discussion of the need for redefining care objectives and strategies.

Main Results:

• The current focus on protection in LTC overlooks the importance of maximizing individual goals.
• Effective collaboration in LTC requires shared, desirable objectives.

Conclusions:

• Long-term care must be reconceptualized to prioritize personal goals and quality of life.
• Care must demonstrably make a positive difference, whether in function, quality of life, or slowing decline, to be valued.