ABSTRACT
Long-term care is an umbrella term describing “a variety of services and supports to meet health or personalcareneedsoveranextendedperiodoftime”(U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices 2009).Long-termcareisfocuseduponmaintainingsafety,mobility,andfunctionalabilityintermsof activitiesofdailyliving(ADL),suchasbathing,eating,toileting,anddressing,andisdeliveredina varietyofsettings,notablyhomecare,assistedlivingfacilities,andnursinghomes.Atover$135billion annually,long-termcareisasignificantareaofexpenditureintheUnitedStates’healthcaresystem (BrownandFinkelstein2006).Ÿoughlong-termcareencompassesawidevarietyofsettingsandrecipientneeds,thischapterwillfocusuponcareprovidedtotheagedpopulation,bothinformallybyfamily members and within residential institutions.
