Issues in Publicly Subsidized Long Term Care Systems and Implications for the Religous Sector

Given the increasing numbers of elderly in need of long term care services and the harsh reality of finite resources, new models are required which define those elderly persons who should remain eligible for publicly subsidized long term care. If, in fact, a method is established for serving only a limited number of older persons, i.e., the truly vulnerable elderly, by way of the public system of long term care, a large constituency of older Americans will be left to exist on the margins. The church as an informal care system may appropriately assume the role of ensuring that the available public funds are used wisely and that service gaps inevitably left bewteen the increasing number of older persons and shrinking public support are bridged. In addition, the church must assist in improving all long term services by contributing to public policy formation.