A model emerges for the community-based nurse care management of older adults

Changes in the demographics of older adults and the structure and financing of the health care delivery system have created a need to develop alternative models of care delivery for the elderly. The nurse care management model is a potentially cost-effective solution for provision of comprehensive care to this population. By providing timely health promotion and illness prevention education, as well as coordinating community resources, nurses can reduce the health care costs of this growing segment of the population. Funding this model, however, remains a challenge as such services are not directly reimbursed by third-party payers.