Response to White House Conference on Aging “Long-Term Services and Supports Policy Brief”
Submitted by Helen McNeal, Executive Director, CSU Shiley Institute for Palliative Care
It’s no surprise that the title of this policy brief is Long-Term Services and Supports. Older adults frequently require ongoing services to help with both daily tasks of living. However services alone will not effectively keep people out of the hospital, away from the emergency department and in their homes, rather than a skilled nursing facility. Older adults also need Support to maintain their independence, health and quality of life.
Direct care workers — home health aides and personal care aides – can greatly assist individuals with assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, errands and other tasks – they are not trained to provide care coordination, pain and symptom management, emotional support, referrals to other home and community services or any of the other proactive services that palliative care providers deliver.