Ecumen Talks Future of Nursing Homes in Citizens League Minnesota Journal

Ecumen senior vice president of operations Mick Finn wrote an article in the recent non-partisan Citizens League Minnesota Journal that talks about how senior services are changing and the emerging role of the nursing home in chronic care management:

Chronic conditions, the most common health issue for the elderly, need to be
managed, but most can be managed outside the institutional setting. If the
disease becomes unmanageable, temporary hospital or nursing home services
may be necessary until the person can again manage (perhaps with support)
at home, whether that means a private home or a congregate setting.
The role of nursing homes in long-term care is becoming more specialized,
reserved to treat the very serious medical conditions associated with aging.
At the same time we are creating more and more opportunities to age on
our own terms, in settings and styles appropriate to our specific circumstances.
These two improvements are directly related, and the pace of their
implementation in Minnesota is rapidly accelerating.

                     – Article Excerpt, Citizens League, Minnesota Journal

Read the full article here (you’ll need Adobe Acrobat) on page 13.  There are also two other articles related to senior services – the first-person experience of the caregiver, and an update on the non-partisan Citizens League’s long-term care financing work in Minnesota.