One of the major challenges to long-term care is making it more affordable. One of the major challenges in long-term care is affordability. Increasingly, consumers are questioning the value of nursing home services, especially in light of the growing number of alternatives. Changing Preference of Consumers and their Advocates Older consumers, many of whose parents were in nursing homes, are increasingly reluctant to accept institutional settings. The high cost and institutional lifestyle associated with conventional nursing home facilities is unappealing to most people.
Many older people see themselves aging in place until they can no longer care for themselves.
At that point, an AL environment is often preferred over a nursing home as a better fit for individuals needing medical care and monitoring. Furthermore, adult children who are increasingly making decisions about placement for their parents, are seeking value and responsiveness from providers, an environment which is residential in character, and a friendly and appealing place to visit. A similar mind set is currently questioning the appropriateness of institutionalization for those who do not need 24-hour skilled nursing care. Mixing these populations raises questions about the appropriate role of nursing care environments for the elderly who are cognitively or physically impaired, but not in need of intensive medical services. Growth of New Technologies and Care Systems Over the last 10 years, an explosion in electronic communication technology has resulted in the wide availability of personal computers, fax machines, modems, remote-sensing devices, and the presence of information systems such as the Internet.