The Long-Term Care Discussion Group is a voluntary independent group that meets solely for the purpose of educating the policy community on all facets of long term care. This month’s meeting will be held on Thursday, May 21 from 11:00 a.m. to Noon ET via zoom. Registration is required.

Emerging evidence from the LeadingAge LTSS Center @ UMass Boston shows that when care preferences are overlooked, older adults experience worse health outcomes, higher costs, and diminished trust in the system.

This session will highlight findings from a multi-method research initiative examining how honoring or ignoring care preferences shapes outcomes in long-term services and supports (LTSS). Drawing on national data linked to Medicare claims as well as qualitative insights from older adults and providers, the session will explore the real-world consequences of person-centered care gaps, including increased hospital use, avoidable spending, and persistent inequities.

The session will present practical and policy-relevant insights into how aligning care with individual preferences can improve quality, reduce costs, and advance equity, particularly for populations whose voices are too often unheard. The discussion will also identify actionable strategies for providers, health systems, and policymakers to embed shared decision-making and person-centered practices into LTSS delivery.

Speakers include Marc Cohen, PhD, Co-director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, Claire E. Wickersham, PhD, senior research associate at the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, and Jane Tavares, PhD, adjunct instructor in the Department of Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Long Term Care Discussion Group meetings are intended as forums for candid discussion. Dialogue and comments made during these meetings should be treated as off the record.

Registration is required. Click here for details and registration. 

If you have any questions. please click here to connect to our email.  If you do not have Outlook, or if the link doesn’t work, you can contact us at ltcdiscussiongroup@gmail.com. 

Meeting materials will also be posted once available on the Long Term Care Discussion Group website on the PRESENTATION MATERIALS page.  

For more information about the Long-Term Care Discussion Group, and for materials and information relating to previous meetings, visit www.ltcdiscussiongroup.org.