The report, prepared by Dara P. Bourassa of Shippensburg University and Sara A. Grove of Duquesne University, found the state is “ill-equipped” to address the needs of Alzheimer’s patients within its available long-term care facilities.
“Individuals living in rural counties have limited choices for institutional care, whether it is a skilled nursing facility, personal care home, or assisted living residence,” it said. Twenty-three counties have two or fewer skilled nursing facilities with dedicated units for those with dementia, and 21 counties have no personal care facilities with such units.
“Based on recent data, the number of facilities and the overall capacity for patients is declining,” the report said.
“The burden on familial caregivers is heavy,” it added.
Spokespersons for industry groups – Pennsylvania Health Care Association President and CEO Zachary Shamberg and Chuck Quinnan, senior vice president and chief of government affairs for LeadingAge PA – said more investment is needed.
Specifically, they said, state-directed Medicaid money flowing into senior care must continue to increase.
Mr. Shamberg called it an “access-to-care crisis.” One step lawmakers could take, he said, would be to let Pennsylvania join the roughly three dozen other states that allow Medicaid to cover assisted-living level services.
(This article was originally published in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette)