What does LTC means to me?

The first dusty thought that might crop up when you think of Long-Term Care are nursing homes filled with elderly individuals pushing walkers and sitting in wheelchairs waiting on the inevitable to happen. (Pause) Okay forgive me, I understand that this may seem a bit much, but the overall perception of long-term care has not been the most exalted of the years. Many individuals fail to realize that long-term care is comprised of many different branches of service that not only cater to the elderly populations, but to others in need of long-term assistance. For the longest time I had this thought sitting in the back of my mind not realizing that through a personal trial a cherished family member was benefiting from long-term care services.

In January 1998, my grandmother suffered a massive stroke, and at that time I had to be around ten years old. My first introduction to Long-term care services was that of a rehabilitation facility called HealthSouth. There she received services that taught her to feed herself, how to regain some elements her speech, and how to move her left side (she remained paralyzed on her right). After spending a month or two at HealthSouth my grandmother’s husband and my mother made the conscious decision against sending my grandmother to a nursing home, but rather to assume the full responsibility of her care at home and become Informal Caregivers. My mother continued to work a full-time job, and a family friend with nursing experience was brought in during the day to take care of my grandmother’s needs such as feedings, changing/bathing her, making sure she is receiving her medications, and other tasks that may have arisen.

For about six months after my grandmother’s stroke, I remember a nurse would come in once every two weeks to check up on her condition and make sure she was taken care of properly. I also remember physical therapists coming in to move her legs and arms back and forth to assess her sensitivity to pain, and keep her limbs loose. And when my grandmother had doctor’s appointment the Miami-based organization called CAC Medical Centers now under the name Care Plus provided a wheelchair accessible van to take her to and from these appointments. However, the main thing that I recall is the convenience of these services. These LTC services made a tough situation that much easier to handle, especially when you know that they are at your disposal.

LTC to me is an important segment of the Healthcare industry looking on it as an informal caregiver, as a student, and upon graduation as a professional. And with the care of the “baby boomer” population being the main concern for health professionals to prepare for, the LTC industry is going to become even more of a major player. Services such as Adult Day Care, Assisted Living Facilities, and Hospice care will be valued options to individuals looking for quality services for a family or themselves in the future. And let’s not forget the variety of employment opportunities the LTC industry will provide for current and future healthcare professionals.