Healthcare and Long-term Care

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This document discusses the increasing cost of long-term care provision and the barriers to planning for elderly individuals and their families. It also explores the shift from inpatient hospitalization to ambulatory care services and the implications for consumers, healthcare, and hospitals. Additionally, it examines the factors that impede access to mental health treatment and the importance of addressing discrimination and promoting social inclusion.

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Running head: HEALTHCARE 1
Healthcare and Long-term Care
Student’s Name
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HEALTHCARE 2
Healthcare and Long-term Care
America's average life expectancy is increasing significantly over time and is higher
today as compared to any other period in history. A United Nations report portrays that the
individuals who are over 65 years increased from 8% in 1950 to 12% in 2000 (Chernew et al.,
2016). As a result of the increasing Americans longevity, there is also an increase in the cost of
long-term care provision. Each American family thus requires to do financial planning which
considering their care at old age. Nonetheless, few families today are giving it no consideration.
Several factors impede the planning. One of them is confusion. The configuration of the
packages which meet an individual's long-term needs, promoting their independence and the
maintenance of the quality of lifestyle is confusing and complicated. An elderly person's long
term care can be offered in their community, home setting, or in facilities such as assisted living
facilities and nursing homes.
It is not common for several agencies to become involved. Therefore, if one service fails
in coordination, it presents an obstruction causing more confusion. Early planning, as well as
prevention, are vital in making the process easier for the elderly and their families. Also, a small
number of people to offer support is a hindrance to the ability to assist in planning, thus denying
them the urge to stay in their homes. Many individuals in American families are alone at old age
as they chose small family sizes, staying single, or as a result of a divorce. Denial is another
factor, as society tends to push aside or deny life's natural progression, death.
Cost-effectiveness is another barrier to long-term planning. Some old people cannot get
the required services due to lack of enough. Some of the elderly individuals prefer to stay at
home; however, it can be significantly expensive. Due to the present economic decline, the
number of elderly people willing and able to access appropriate services and care is decreasing
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HEALTHCARE 3
even more. Health facilities must raise awareness of these critical issues among Americans. The
elderly should also be empowered to become responsible for their future as well as understand
the services that are offered to them.
Several factors have led to the shift in utilization from inpatient hospitalization to
ambulatory care services, resulting in the implication of the change for consumers, health care,
and hospitals. One main factor in the change is the advancement in technology, less invasive
procedures, and new diagnostic and medical procedures (De Nardi et al., 2016). In the ongoing
health care system, outpatient procedures and surgeries are standard. Consequently, the shift to
ambulatory services for inpatient care is now approved as it also saves on costs, and assumes that
a better clinical result with low-cost yields results. Research shows that the revenue resulting
from outpatient care surpasses that of the patients admitted in the facilities. The ongoing
structural changes in the United States health care industry will alter the physician and hospital's
role in the provision of medical care. With the diversification of the structure, the substitutes to
critical are hospitalization will end up being increasingly attractive.
The faster the escalation of hospital costs, the more hastily the trade-offs will be pushed
by the health insurers. Similarly, the oil prices increase alternative fuel's economic viability, and
as a result, the increasing hospital prices will boost ambulatory services growth, aftercare, and
substitute delivery systems. With an increase in costs, the hospital industry's competitive
pressures intensify to a point where most hospitals can be forced to close, while others are
absorbed by larger hospital management companies. Also, there will be more entrepreneurial
opportunities in diverse areas other than the hospital.
Such developments can only benefit a patient as it will be a convenient and cost-effective
alternative for the provision of health care services. With an increase in competition among the
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HEALTHCARE 4
patients, hospitals and physicians will become increasingly interested in meeting the needs of
their patients.
In the United States, those receiving mental health services are only a small percentage
as compared to those who need the services. There are however, factors which impede access to
the treatment of mental illness. Data has shown that about 20-25% of the homeless and single
adults suffer from the persistent and severe psychiatric disease. Although 22% of the total
American population has a mental illness, only a tiny percentage is homeless at a certain point,
Macnaughton et al., 2015). Notwithstanding the disproportionate community of mentally sick
individuals amongst the homeless people, the increase in homelessness is not caused by the
release of mentally ill persons from institutions. Most patients were released in the 1950s and
1960s; nonetheless, a vast increase in homelessness only occurred later in 1980s (Winkler et al.,
2016).
Nonetheless, there have been unplanned discharges and denial of services as well as
deinstitutionalization resulted by the managed care plans, which significantly contributes to the
ongoing presence of mentally ill individuals among the homeless inhabitants. Secrecy thus
becomes an adaptive response to public and private shame. In reference to Macnaughton et al.
scandal of people admitting, the failure of health practitioners to probe and depressive symptoms
have led to an increase in the number of mentally ill persons in the streets, thus not receiving the
required, medical treatment (2015). Caregivers conceal the illness from other people, including
professionals who hide the mental illness in a family member or themselves. Consequently,
secrecy is one main obstacle to preventing and treating mental ailment at each stage.
Distinct from physical disease or condition, in case of the mobilization of social
resources, the individuals who have mental disorders are eliminated from the possible support. If

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HEALTHCARE 5
the patients; social networks reduce, it is more likely that chronic mental disorder outcomes
become poorer. If the media covers the mental illness intervention, it will help in the
dissemination of messages carrying positivity about mental health, and also challenge possible
misrepresentations. Means such as legal remedies, testing health services, and education can be
used in the promotion of social inclusion and also help in reducing discrimination. Eventually,
prejudice will be identified, and efforts will be presented to fight against it at all costs.
Examining the achievement of any other anti-discriminatory initiatives leaves behind
mental illness to become among the last prejudices. Continuing pointing out discriminatory
practices from a different perspective with act as a prerequisite. Psychiatrists are currently a part
of the biased culture and rely on other people in highlighting injustices. Ethnic minority status,
double discrimination, and mental illness coincidence are areas where psychiatry will result in
change. Consequently, psychiatry has to collaborate with other related and unrelated fields in the
identification of problems as well as enduring implementation solutions.
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HEALTHCARE 6
References
Chernew, M., Cutler, D. M., Ghosh, K., & Landrum, M. B. (2016). Understanding the
improvement in disability-free life expectancy in the US elderly population (No.
w22306). National Bureau of Economic Research.
De Nardi, M., French, E., Jones, J. B., & McCauley, J. (2016). Medical spending of the US
elderly. Fiscal Studies, 37(3-4), 717-747.
Macnaughton, E., Stefancic, A., Nelson, G., Caplan, R., Townley, G., Aubry, T., ... & Tsemberis,
S. (2015). Implementing Housing First across sites and over time: Later fidelity and
implementation evaluation of a pan-Canadian multi-site Housing First program for
homeless people with mental illness. American Journal of Community Psychology, 55(3-
4), 279-291.
Winkler, P., Barrett, B., McCrone, P., Csémy, L., Janouskova, M., & Höschl, C. (2016).
Deinstitutionalised patients, homelessness, and imprisonment: a systematic review. The
British Journal of Psychiatry, 208(5), 421-428.
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