Long term and Mental illness Care

Long Term Care and Mental Health Services
Name
Institution
Long Term Care and Mental Health Services
Long term care is the assistance provided to persons with long-term disabilities over an extended period of time, usually from the time they become physically or mentally unable to take care of themselves until death. It involves assistance with day-to-day life activities such as toileting, bathing, and dressing.
In my later years, I would like to be in home-based long term care rather than in a care facility. My major reason, which I suspect is true to many people, is that the idea of spending one’s last days in an unfamiliar environment, away from home and family, is not appealing. I company of family members is very reassuring for someone who knows that he or she has a short time to lose. The prospect of death, therefore, creates a desire in people to spend as much time as possible with their loved ones. In addition, Home-based care provides patients with more freedom and a sense of belonging, compared to the loneliness that individuals may experience in a care facility. I also think that for those who spend their time in long term care facilities there are personal or family circumstances that force them to do so- such as work commitments for the family members who could take care of them. Given a choice, they would be happier spending their time at home with their loved ones. Staying in home would be convenient for long term care because it provides family members with a cheaper opportunity to continue leading a normal life. Family members can take turns in giving assistance, or employing a stay-in nurse/caretaker.
I think that the financing of long term care is not appropriate. This is because presently there is no clear funding plan for long term care. The financing is fragmented, with Medicaid contributing 40%, Medicare 23%, and out-of pocket spending accounting the remaining 37%, which includes insurance and other private sources (Calmus, 2013). This system does not provide a reliable source of funding because family income determines the ability or inability to secure insurance or pay for services. This situation affects low-income families greatly, which perhaps the reason why over 90% of long term care is provided by family members (Knatterud, 2011). Home-based care has hidden costs, such the loss of earning opportunities for...