Originally Posted - November 17, 2006

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NEW YORK--The Long Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC) has released a white paper entitled "Developing a New and Better Long Term Care System in New York State".

Meant to be a resource for Governor-Elect Eliot Spitzer and incoming state leaders, the white paper outlines a new vision: that the process of empowering the consumers of long term care (helping them take control of the factors that determine their health and their lives and have the power to make decisions and choices) as well as empowering their formal and informal caregivers, is central to transforming the long term care system for the better. The governor-elect has said that we must "redesign our health care system to reward the right kind of care."

This paper seeks to offer a pragmatic path to accomplish this worthwhile goal, LTCCC officials said.

"There is a critical need to redesign our long term care system," said Richard J. Mollot, executive director of LTCCC and an author of the report. "In the next 20 years, New York will see a substantial growth in the 60+ population. The number of people over 80, who have the greatest needs, will increase by over 40%. It is crucial that we are prepared to meet the needs of our aging population - our parents, loved ones and eventually ourselves - in the years ahead."

Cynthia Rudder, LTCCC's director of special projects and co-author of the report said, "Our current system is failing. It is fragmented in terms of regulations and services. New York has a serious lack of housing for those who want to remain in the community as they receive care, problems with workforce capacity and a lack of an effective workforce policy. We need change."

The paper, developed with input from an expert panel and a survey of consumer groups across the state, provides specific recommendations on how the vision can be used to shape a new system that meets the needs and preferences of all consumers.

The paper details how the state should:

Focus on consumers and both their informal and formal caregivers as the heart and principal focus of the long term care system;

Redesign the care planning system to mandate individualized plans and enable consumers to remain in their own community until they cannot or do not want to;

Rework system financing to support necessary changes, including making sure adequate housing is available;

Develop and maintain a workforce that has adequate training and supports;

and Understand and meet the needs of informal caregivers.

© 2006 North Country Gazette