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Abstract
Lindquist,
L. A. and Golub, R. M. "Cruise ship care: a proposed
alternative to assisted living facilities," Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society, 2004, 52:11,
1951-1954
Options
for elderly patients who can no longer remain independent are limited.
Most
choices involve assisted living facilities, 24-hour caregivers, or
nursing
homes. State and federal assistance for payment for individual care is
limited,
and seniors usually pay for most costs out of pocket. For those
patients who
have the means to afford assisted living centres or nursing homes,
"cruise ship
care" is proposed. Travelling alongside traditional tourists, groups of
seniors would live on cruise ships for extended periods of time. Cruise
ships
are similar to assisted living centres in the amenities provided, costs
per
month, and many other areas. This article begins with an examination of
the
needs of seniors in assisted living facilities and then explores the
feasibility of cruise ship care in answering those needs. Similarities
between cruise ship travel and assisted living care, as well as the
monetary
costs of both options, are defined. A decision tree with selections for
nonindependent care for seniors was created including cruise ship
care as an alternative. Using a Markov model over 20 years, a
representative
cost-effectiveness analysis was performed that showed that cruises were
priced
similarly to assisted living centres and were more efficacious.
Proposed ways
that cruise ship
companies could further accommodate the needs of seniors interested in
this
option are also suggested. Implementation for cruise
ship care on the individual basis is also
presented. Ultimately, it is wished to introduce a feasible and
possibly more
desirable option to seniors who ca n no longer remain independent.
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