Ethics and long-term care: Everyday considerations

This article deals with ethical issues intrinsic to long-term care, emphasizing those that relate to the daily practice of the physician. First, some general issues are considered, followed by a brief discussion of nursing home care and home care, the two most common service systems that apply to patients receiving long-term care. For the most part, this article focuses on the ethical issues involved for patients who live with such care rather than those concerning the death of long-term care clients. The author argues that the balance needs to shift to more attention to these everyday matters.