OHCA Long Term Care State Report 2016

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2016 Oregon LTC State Report 6
While the vast majority (over 98%) of individuals needing some form of
long term care services and supports are served within the community,
meaning they are taking care of themselves or being cared for by a loved
one, those with Alzheimer’s and dementia are much more likely to need
more formal long term care services. In fact, 52% of all individuals with
Alzheimer’s or dementia live in a care community.13
Acuity Levels
Acuity denotes the measurement of intensity of service needs of an
individual related to their cognitive function, health conditions, medication
use, psychosocial needs, and other health needs. In Oregon, the acuity
needs of the state’s community-based care residents are increasing, and a
higher level of acuity generally means an individual requires a higher level
of care. This increase in acuity is reflective of individuals receiving services
longer in their own homes either from loved ones or paid caregivers.
The amount of assistance a person needs with their activities of daily living
(ADLs), like help with bathing or grooming, is one way to measure acuity.
Additional measures of acuity include instrumental activities of daily living
(IADLs) such as help with taking medications.
For example, 84% of assisted living residents and 99% of memory care
residents need assistance with medication.14
Other ways to measure acuity include the number of diagnoses of chronic
conditions or the level of obesity.
Length of Stay
The needs of the population served by community-based care providers, like
assisted living communities and in-home care agencies, differ from those in
skilled nursing facilities who often require highly intensive, skilled care.
Skilled nursing facilities primarily serve as providers of short-stay, post-
acute, rehabilitative care, and there has been a shift toward the use of
home and community-based services as the primary settings for long
term care in Oregon.
68%of all people admitted to
skilled nursing are discharged
back to their homes or the
community within 100 days