| As the American population continues to age, there has been an increase in nursing home placements, along with an increase in the need for services, with a resulting strain on an already precarious healthcare system. Recent changes in the third party reimbursement have placed enormous constraints on an already limited pool of resources allocated to the healthcare of older Americans. The entire problem is compounded by an increased demand for quality of care by consumer groups and governmental regulatory agencies. This text examines the beginnings of long term care in the United States, including the deplorable conditions and financial waste that led to the current state of the industry. The central tenets of the discussion deal with provision of quality of care as defined by regulatory entities in light of decreased reimbursement for services. The dissertation concludes with projections of the industry standards in the future. |
