Complex Care Needs of Low-Income Older Adults in Medicaid-Supported Assisted Living
A study published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine explores the complex care needs and serious illness communication challenges of older adults, who are low-income and residing in Medicaid-supported assisted living settings. Guided by the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care, this study focused on residents’ experiences, complex care needs, and communication, revealing four key themes, including compromised quality of life; high symptom burden and limited access to care; communication gaps while navigating their care; and fragmented care coordination. These findings show substantial challenges are present for this population, with researchers urgently calling for community-based interventions to enhance care access, improve symptom management and communication, to improve outcomes.