Help Wanted? Providing and Paying for Long-Term Care

This new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provides a comparative analysis of the common challenges and diverse solutions OECD countries are adopting to respond to the growing demand for long-term care services, particularly its implications for financing and labour markets.

Chapter 1 and 2 examine the growing demand for long-term care in the context of ageing societies, discuss demographic projections and their implications for long term care labour markets and expenditure

Chapter 3 and 4 discuss the role of family carers, the impact of caring on carers’mental health, poverty and labour market participation, as well as policies to support family carers.

Chapters 7 and 8 analyse, respectively, public and private coverage schemes for long-term care in OECD countries, while Chapter 9 discusses financing policies to improve access while keeping cost under
control.

Chapter 10 reviews options to improve value for money from long-term care services, and to manage more efficiently the interface between health and care.

The webpage for the report provides country data for OECD countries.

www.oecd.org/health/longtermcare/helpwanted

Better with Age: A Regional Roundtable Series on Health Systems Planning for the Aging Population

This month's issue of Healthcare Quarterly, 14(2) 2011: 14-15 reports on the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation's (CHSRF)  roundtable series Better with Age: Health Systems Planning for the Aging Population, held in six locations across Canada in fall 2010:

• October 7, 2010 – Calgary, Alberta (British Columbia, Alberta and northern region)
• October 15, 2010 – Winnipeg, Manitoba (Saskatchewan and Manitoba)
• October 20, 2010 – Ottawa, Ontario (national roundtable)
• October 27, 2010 – Halifax, Nova Scotia (Atlantic region and northern region)
• November 4, 2010 – Toronto, Ontario (Ontario)
• November 10, 2010 – Montreal, Quebec (Quebec)

http://www.longwoods.com/content/22375

Enhancing Use of Clinical Preventive Services Among Older Adults – Closing the Gap

This report, from the Centers for Disease Control (U.S.) focuses on the use of potentially lifesaving preventive services by the growing population of adults aged 65 years and older. By presenting and interpreting available state and national self-reported survey data, the Report aims to raise awareness among public health and aging services professionals, policy makers, the media, and researchers of critical gaps and opportunities for increasing the use of clinical preventive services, particularly among those who are currently underserved.

The Report is divided into four sections:

• Featured Preventive Services looks at eight services for which sufficient data at the state or national level exist: two vaccinations that protect against influenza and pneumococcal disease; five screenings for early detection of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes,
• Additional Preventive Services briefly discusses seven other services recommended for older adults: alcohol misuse screening and counseling, aspirin use, blood pressure screening, cervical cancer screening, depression screening, obesity screening and counseling, and zoster vaccination.
•Making a Difference addresses the implications of the survey data and offers examples of recent interventions that have successfully increased use of clinical preventive services in diverse communities.
• References are provided for those who wish to delve further.

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventiveServices/Clinical_Preventive_Services_Closing_the_Gap_Report.pdf

Moving Toward Health Service Integration: Provincial Progress in System Change for Seniors

From the CPRN News (Canadian Policy Research Networks News)

In the report Moving Toward Health Service Integration: Provincial Progress in System Change for Seniors, CPRN Senior Research Fellow Dr. Margaret MacAdam reviews the conceptual understandings underlying integrated care for seniors, examines models of cost-effective care, identifies their features and then ascertains to what extent Canadian provinces are implementing these features.

The study consisted of three parts: a literature review and a survey of provincial activity to implement an integrated model for elderly care, which were supported by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; and, a roundtable, co-sponsored by CPRN and The Change Foundation. Dr. MacAdam’s report details the research and survey findings and the proceedings of a roundtable held on February 25, 2009 that included the participation of government policy-makers, representatives of community-based service providers and academics.

To read or download Moving Toward Health Service Integration, click here. To read or download Margaret MacAdam’s literature review, Frameworks of Integrated Care for the Elderly: A Systematic Review, click here.

An Uncertain Future for Seniors: BC's Restructuring of Home and Community Health Care 2001-2008.

From the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (B.C. Office), this report builds on past CCPA studies, compiling detailed evidence related to concerns raised recently by the BC Auditor General, the BC Medical Association and the BC Care Providers Association about the state of seniors’ care in BC.


http://www.policyalternatives.ca/reports/2009/04/uncertain_future/