Introduction
As the baby boomer population ages and the growing shortage of health workers, access to long-term care and palliative care aid promises to remain a significant problem in the 21st century. Today there is increasing dissatisfaction and concern about the long-term care system or even the lack of it available to the elderly. Typically, patients consider this an expensive treatment, as the average annual cost can exceed $50,000-100,000 (Morrison & Furlong, 2019). For many elderly people in need of care and their families, the price is beyond their means.
In addition, too much emphasis is placed on inpatient care, providing insufficient access and choice, and failing to provide quality care. The problem is growing, given that there will be a significant increase in the demand for long-term care among the baby boomer generation in the future, as well as in connection with the growth in disability among the younger generation. These facts are also weighed against the perceived inadequacy of the existing system. The main barriers to real change stem from the political climate that controls funding.
Case Study
According to medical ethics, medical professionals must promote the equal distribution of medical services, including vulnerable populations, which also includes Ms. L. The main goal of interventions is to reduce serious disease outbreaks through expanding medical care. It can be achieved by removing barriers to getting help between social strata, especially among people who use psychoactive substances. The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care suggests keeping patients’ social histories (Lau et al., 2022). That will allow assessing the economic situation of people and their families who are at risk and have become homeless (Lau et al., 2022). Research on people living with HIV shows that housing can help people get through treatment, including for substance use disorders (Lau et al., 2022). Healthcare professionals are encouraged to review whether patients need financial assistance regularly. It may include, for example, disability insurance coverage or advice about benefits. The main goal of interventions is to reduce inequalities that negatively affect people’s health.
Even though there can be no prejudice against patients in the medical field and care should be provided to all who need it, many patients still experience this. For example, Ms. L., for a long time, could not get medicine that would help her cope with her pain. However, palliative care aims to alleviate people’s suffering from life-threatening illnesses. That includes treatment of any symptoms of disease, pain relief, mental care, and psychosocial support, as well as pre-care planning (Lau et al., 2022). Many people, as a result of limited social support caused by poverty, have little or no access to health care.
Institutions and service providers may restrict the provision of community-based services, such as home care, in unsafe or high-risk settings. In addition, societal intolerance towards non-medical drug use, which is also present in healthcare professionals, may stop people who abuse substances from entering palliative care units and end-of-life care hospices, as happened with Ms. L. Medical staff must demonstrate a willingness to help people, regardless of their situation, that is, to reduce the level of prejudice. In this regard, it is essential to develop financial assistance for those in need of medical care or change the existing insurance system, as well as to develop medical ethics.
Unfortunately, today the involvement of the elderly population in the long-term and palliative care insurance system remains low. There are many reasons for this, and one of the main ones is the inability of a large part of the elderly population to afford expensive insurance. In addition, among those who can afford an insurance policy, there is an opinion about the limited access to many health insurance (Morsch et al., 2021). It may also be due to misinterpretation or lack of knowledge about current Medicare or Medicaid coverage (Morrison & Furlong, 2019). Medicaid includes a special waiver program that allows states to offer a wider range of non-medical home care services (Morrison & Furlong, 2019). An important condition is a restriction to those patients whose services will be no more expensive than Medicaid-funded home care (Morsch et al., 2021). However, the volume of benefits under these waiver programs is small relative to the overall demand.
Moreover, it is important to recognize that many older people have limited economic resources. They will probably still find even less costly and more comprehensive measures unaffordable. The private sector cannot provide catastrophic protection for these individuals alone. In addition, private insurance has recently become an option, and only 10-20% of people will be able to use it (Morrison & Furlong, 2019). Closing this significant gap should be the task of the government.
Conclusion
Today, concern continues to grow that the elderly population in need of long-term care is increasing. At the same time, significant economic and social changes are taking place in society, which has a direct impact on the access of the elderly to long-term and palliative care. Different programs in Aging in America, including demographic, social, and economic trends, may have different impacts on the demand for and delivery of various healthcare services related to long-term and palliative care. While some will promote access to services, others will hinder access to and purchase of care, as with private insurance, for example. Due to changes in the demographic and epidemiological profiles of populations, policies that can deliver long-term and sustainable results are critical.
References
Lau, J., Ding, P., Lo, S., Fazelzad, R., Furlan, A. D., Isenberg, S. R., Spithoff, S., Tedesco, A., Zimmermann, C., & Buchman, D. Z. (2022). Palliative care interventions for people who use substances during communicable disease outbreaks: A scoping review. BMJ Open, 12(8). Web.
Morrison, E. E., & Furlong, E. (2019). Health care ethics critical issues for the 21st century. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Morsch, P., Pelaez, M., Vega, E., Hommes, C., & Lorig, K. (2021). Evidence-based programs for older persons in the Americas. Revista Panamericana De Salud Pública, 45, 1. Web.