Will long term care units in hospitals become a trend?
Iowa is considering adding long term care wings to its hospitals that could bring in more federal funding. Such a plan is currently illegal, but the director of the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals said the agency will rewrite the rules to allow the units. The decision to pursue the project was apparently prompted by a different agency’s rejection of a plan to build four long term care hospitals in the state.
Do hospitals need long term care units? Supporters and patients think so. From the Globe Gazette:
Supporters say long-term-care hospitals can offer specialized care for patients who are too fragile to live in nursing homes but who don’t need to stay in costly intensive-care units.
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Marilyn Scott, a patient at Mercy, said she would rather have the unit built at the hospital than someplace else.“If I’m getting good care here, there isn’t any need to move,” she said. “You build a relationship with the staff, and that helps you get better. If you have to move to a new hospital, you have to start over.”
If the units are a success, other states may follow suit.
Long Term Care Insurance
This isn’t exactly news, but it’s worth noting. Sales of long term care insurance and products associated with aging are rising, according to Claritas Insurance CLOUT(TM) database, a marketing firm. (press release)
As Baby Boomers age, the number of long term care insurance owners will increase. Claritas estimates the rate will increase from 16.5 percent to almost 18 percent within five years.