Considering the needs of the elderly long-term client in the context of the current healthcare environment adds urgency to the ongoing challenge of effective care planning for this population. Increasingly, home health agencies must demonstrate progress toward achievement of predicted care outcomes. With such emphasis on achieving positive outcomes, a well-designed plan of care for clients receiving long-term home health services becomes even more necessary. This article presents a strategy for creating individualized care plans for the homebound elderly based on a stepwise approach to goal development.
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