Long-term care quality: facing the challenges of an aging population.

As part of its continuing mission to serve trustees and staff of health foundations and corporate giving programs, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) convened a select group of grantmakers and national experts who have made a major commitment to improve the quality of long-term care, particularly the care provided in nursing homes. The roundtable explored various factors influencing both the quality of care provided to elderly patients, as well as the quality of their lives. The discussion ultimately centered upon the importance of grantmaker involvement to improve the quality of long-term care, including the services delivered, training for professional and paraprofessional staff, continued research and evaluation, and public policies regulating the long-term care industry. This report brings together key points from the day's discussion with factual information on demographic, financing, and public policy trends drawn from a background paper prepared for the meeting. When available, recent findings, facts, and figures have been incorporated.