Accessing Long Term Care For Low Income Geriatric Patients in California

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION3

Background of the Problem5

Statement of the Problem9

Purpose of the Study10

Significance of the Study10

Significance for the Leadership12

Nature of the Study12

Research Question15

Theoretical Framework15

Definition of Terms19

Assumptions20

Scope and Limitations22

Delimitations23

Summary24

Chapter 1: Introduction

Life is beautiful! But we also know the fact that life is not a bed of roses. There are different things that destroy and diminish the beauty of life. Sometimes a crippling disease can take away all the pleasures and joy of life. People suffer from disabilities and various other chronic diseases that destroy them and they have to be dependent on others. Over the period of time there has been an increase in the percentage of people suffering from chronic disease. This is an illness that affects the well being and deteriorates health of an individual suffering from it day by day. World has become an unsafe place as health related issues in humans are rising with an immense increase in diseases that are uncontrollable and lack efficiencies in precautions and such diseases and infections are life threatening for humans.

In order to deal with this illness there are a number of medications that the sufferers get. Besides the medication there are other techniques and ways that are adopted by the individuals suffering from it in order to deal with this illness and to enjoy life as it was before this disease. People get better and recover from their illness as they use these medications and other techniques. But, the main question arises when people suffer from such illness and when there is medication available but they do not possess financial strength to utilize these medications and techniques. Over the years it has been observed that this usually happens to elderly population.

The elderly population in the United States is growing. Individuals who are sixty five years old will increase by 23% between 2012 and 2022 (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012; World Health Organization, 2012). Moreover, medically frail individuals with age-related diseases, physical, and cognitive decline are at higher risk of mortality (Fulop et al., 2010). This rising population and risk factors reflect a dramatic demand of access to long-term health care. As the Baby Boomers turn 65, the elderly population growth predominates in the western regions of the United States (William, 2010). This significant increase reflects a dramatic shift in the age structure. More specifically, Interim Population Projections, forecast that those Californians, whose ages are sixty five and above will double over the next two decades from 4.3 million in 2010 to 8.4 million in 2030 (State of California Department of Finance, 2012). As the baby boomers are about to reach to age 65 so it is expected that over the next few decades the population of California would age in a rapid way. This experience of California is no different than the nation as a whole. In the below figure the plotting is done about the old age dependency ratio (OADR). This plotting is done on the basis of Department of ...