The social sustainability theory: application in the area of long-term care

Abstract

This paper describes the social sustainability theory developed by researchers at the Polibienestar Institute (University of Valencia). Moreover, this paper discusses its application in the area of long-term care through the implementation of a program based on case management methodology. This methodology allows for a linkage of health and social services from a multidisciplinary coordination and joint decision making. The aim of this methodology is to create an integral portfolio of services. These services have shown its effectiveness in the context of the Valencian Community. The new pathways designed by the case mana- gement team can be tested from an economic perspective, assessing the applying costs and savings to define an improvement in system efficiency. This paper provides the methodology to estimate the costs by focusing on examples from the referral of patients to hospital resources, such as hospitals for chronic patients, psychiatric hospital units and home hospitalization units, to social and health resources that allow for the attention of as many patients as possible at home. To implement the new care settings, linked to the social sustainability theory, it is essential the role of governance, which must be courageous enough to carry out these changes planned in the mid and long term.