Long-term care (LTC) provides a range of medical and non-medical services for individuals requiring ongoing assistance due to chronic illness, disability, or advanced age. These services offer continuous support for people who cannot fully care for themselves over an extended period, rather than temporary fixes for acute illnesses. While basic medical treatment is included, the overarching goal of LTC extends beyond simply managing a condition. The main purpose is to provide comprehensive, individualized support that promotes the highest possible level of well-being, focusing on the person’s ability to live a fulfilling life despite limitations.
Maintaining Functional Independence
The most immediate goal of long-term care is to assist individuals in performing the basic tasks necessary for daily living, thereby maintaining functional independence. This assistance centers on the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), the fundamental self-care tasks required for a person to sustain themselves. The six recognized ADLs include:
- Bathing and personal hygiene.
- Dressing.
- Eating.
- Transferring.
- Toileting.
- Maintaining continence.
LTC providers assess a person’s ability to perform ADLs to determine the necessary level of support and establish a baseline functional status. The focus is on providing the assistance needed to safely complete these tasks, which helps preserve self-sufficiency and dignity. Support is also extended to Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), which are more complex tasks necessary for independent community living.
IADLs include tasks such as:
- Managing medications.
- Preparing meals.
- Using transportation.
- Managing finances.
- Performing light housework.
Assistance with IADLs allows individuals to remain engaged and often helps them live in their own homes or in less restrictive settings for longer. LTC aims to maintain the resident’s existing functional capacity by supporting both ADLs and IADLs.
Ensuring Safety and Health Stability
A parallel goal of long-term care is the proactive management of health and the mitigation of environmental risks to ensure resident safety. This involves expert oversight of chronic health conditions (such as diabetes or heart disease) to prevent acute flare-ups that could lead to hospitalization. LTC settings incorporate skilled medical care to address the multiple long-term conditions often associated with older populations.
A significant aspect of health stability is meticulous medication management. This ensures residents receive the correct dosage of multiple prescriptions at the appropriate times. This systematic approach minimizes the risk of missed doses, overdoses, or harmful drug interactions common for individuals managing complex health regimens.
Beyond medical interventions, safety protocols are integrated into the physical environment. Fall prevention is a primary example of environmental risk mitigation, utilizing strategies like clear pathways, grab bars, and personalized mobility assistance. The goal is to create a secure environment that reduces the likelihood of accidents and injuries.
Promoting Quality of Life and Autonomy
While functional assistance and safety are foundational, the highest goal of long-term care is to promote the resident’s quality of life and preserve personal autonomy. This objective is achieved through person-centered care, an approach emphasizing the individual’s preferences, values, and strengths. This perspective ensures a person’s life is not dictated by their diagnosis or institutional schedules.
Person-centered care allows residents to be partners in their own care, empowering them to make choices about daily routines, such as meal times or activities. Maximizing choice and control helps the individual retain dignity and a strong sense of self. This focus on autonomy is linked to improved psychological status, reducing feelings of helplessness and boredom.
Promoting quality of life also involves facilitating social engagement and nurturing relationships to prevent loneliness and isolation. LTC services include organized social activities, opportunities for mental stimulation, and the development of meaningful connections. Long-term care integrates all aspects of support—physical, medical, social, and emotional—to ensure individuals can continue to find meaning and joy in their lives.