"Long-term care" is not easy to define. The boundaries among primary, acute, and long-term care have blurred. Instead of concentrating on acute care in hospitals as before, our health system is increasingly devoted to chronic care by various providers in various settings.

Long-term care has become an increasingly urgent policy issue. The number of elderly Americans and their proportion of the nation's population are growing, and Americans who reach age 65 are living longer. Debate over long-term care by policymakers and members of the public has ebbed and flowed during the past three decades. More and more Americans and their leaders face the dilemma of how to meet the needs of elders with chronic disabilities in the United States.

The single most important determinant in any long-term care setting is the direct care staff. However, there is a severe shortage of nursing aides and attendants-the 2 million frontline workers who provide up to 90 percent of hands-on care in nursing homes and other settings, including private homes. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing homes will need 600,000 new aides by early in the next decade. On top of that, turnover for nursing assistants has been estimated to be 100 percent nationally.

The career opportunities in long-term care administration are excellent; the fastest-growing industry in the United States is long-term care, and the fastest-growing population in the United States is the 85+ age group. New delivery systems in providing elder care have created many related industries, such as long-term rehabilitation, assisted living and comprehensive retirement communities. The program is designed to provide students with the essential management skills needed for employment as a licensed long-term care administrator.

There are a variety of administrative, financial and other non-medical employment opportunities available within the long term care environment, including:

• Nursing Facility Administrator – The administrator is a licensed professional who manages the day-to-day operations of the facility. Administrators are trained in medical, social, financial and legal aspects of long term care and are an important resource to families and patients. Typically, the administrator has a four-year degree in health administration or is a Registered Nurse with certification in long term care administration. Some states require advanced degrees.
• Assisted Living Administrator/Director/Manager – The assisted living administrator manages the daily operations of the residence to ensure the services and care the residents need are provided.
• Marketing Director – In assisted living, this person arranges for and manages details related to moving into a facility. The person in this position is also responsible for arranging tours of the residence for prospective residents and may handle external public relations matters.
• Admissions Director/Coordinator – In nursing facilities, the admissions staff works with patients and their families to ensure that all requirements for admission to the facility are met.
• Billing and Payment Coordinators – The staff in these positions work to verify benefits, answer questions regarding payments (e.g. insurance or Medicare) and organize the billing and collection process.
• Medical Records and Health Information Personnel – These professionals are responsible for making sure of the accurate and timely documentation of medical services provided to patients. This may involve tasks from coding of treatment for reimbursement purposes to reviewing care plans to ensure coordination of services.
• Office Administration/Administrative Assistant – This staff handles general office responsibilities.

Long Term Care Administration Degree/Certificate Information

Long Term Care Administration Courses