Long term care in Ohio : balancing the system

Abstract

This report is designed to identify the challenges facing long-term care in Ohio, and to develop recommendations to help Ohio achieve an effective, efficient consumer responsive system of long-term care.

The Ohio long-term care system faces several serious challenges. First, public expenditures do not match consumer demand. Second, consumers want to be able to design and shape the type of the assistance to be received. Third, financial pressures are substantial and will increase dramatically. Fourth, despite an interest in expanding community-based services, Ohio has a shortage of care workers. Fifth, long-term care in Ohio is fragmented and information on long-term care is difficult to access. Sixth, future demand for long-term care services is inevitable given demographic projections. Finally, although there is considerable agreement that the long-term care system in Ohio is broken, there is not a consensus on how to fix it.