This course is designed to examine the services and integrating mechanisms comprising the continuum of long-term care, its regulatory and financing history, its current organization, the individual services providing long-term care, characteristics of clients using long-term care, system integrating mechanisms, and examples of long-term care delivery systems. The emphasis is on the practical problems administrators face. It is an overview course; it does not deal with specific regulations pertaining to nursing homes or any other service. Site visits are an essential component of the course. Transportation to site visits is the responsibility of the students.

After completing this course, students should be able to:

1. Define "long-term care" and "continuum of care."
2. Characterize the client populations needing long-term care, projected growth, and methods of assessment.
3. Explain the rationale for a health care system oriented to chronic care.
4. Outline the basic programmatic, administrative, regulatory, and financing dimensions of each of the major health services comprising the continuum of care.
5. Articulate the purpose for integrating mechanisms and describe each of the four key integrating mechanisms.
6. Explain the complexities of the current long-term care system based on historical development, financing fragmentation, and regulatory auspices.
7. Describe the similarities and differences of several parallel long-term care systems (e.g., the Veterans Affairs, the Aging Network, mental health)
8. Consider the structure and financing of a long-term system of the future that corrects the deficiencies of the current system and yet is realistic within the context of the U.S. health care delivery system; federal, state, and local financial situations; cultural norms; and social context.