Long-term care for the elderly /

This book by Stone, a health care research executive, will serve health and human services staff as a valuable introduction to the field of socially applied gerontology. This slim volume provides readers with vignettes of situations commonly affecting adults and their families and communities, along with operating definitions and informative discussions of several demographic factors impacting the elderly: cost, caregivers, and quality of care in 24-hour facilities. From the sociopolitical perspective, Stone examines long-term care as the newest phenomenon affecting society. The author examines fundamental questions concerning who will need care, who will pay, and who will deliver services. Although the baby boomer generation per se does not require support for "activities of daily living" (ADL), this cohort is expected to mirror preceding generations' experiences of aging within the community. Because the baby boomers are numerous, the growth in this cohort's young-, middle- and old-old populations will strain an already inadequate system. Looking forward to 2030, Stone directs readers' attention to key indicators, including recruitment, training, and appropriate wages for future caregivers; planned extensions to the continuum of long-term care residency options; and federal initiatives such as the "Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly." Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; general readers interested in health care. L. R. Barley York College, CUNY