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LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
WHITE PAPER DOCUMENT
Public policy officials
in Pennsylvania have an opportunity, and some may say a duty, to create an
appropriate framework for service delivery that will address the demographic
realities of both an aging population and the related economic implications
for the Commonwealth. To be successful, Pennsylvania legislators and state
administrators will need to exert bipartisan leadership on a number of key
issues.
The purpose of this
report is to provide Pennsylvania policymakers with background information,
key statistics and practical ideas concerning how to address the challenges
we all face when confronting issues of long term care, such as community
based services, caregiver respite, access for rural and underserved
populations and economic losses incurred by Pennsylvania businesses.
Given the significant
presence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in Pennsylvania,
policymakers will need to address issues relating to Home & Community Based
services, as well as other Long Term Care challenges in order to meet the
demands of Alzheimer’s disease and prepare for the large influx of people.
The following issues, if addressed, can place Pennsylvania in a position of
national leadership on what is amongst the most urgent health-care problems
of the 21st century:
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Ensure that
Pennsylvanians affected by Alzheimer’s disease can live outside an
institutional setting for as long as possible.
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Develop a continuum
of appropriate, affordable, quality long-term care for people with
dementia.
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Provide equitable
access to all health and medical services and programs for all people with
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including those under the age
of 60, “difficult” patients and ethnic and rural populations.
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