Long-term care in American Indian communities: issues for planning and research.

Planning and research related to long-term care for the American Indian elderly population lag far behind the state-of-the-art. The Indian Health Service, the major health care provider for this special population, has actively resisted developing services specific to older tribal members. Yet, despite this lack of leadership, many innovative efforts have emerged at the local level. These efforts, the issues that face subsequent program advancement, and critical questions for future study are discussed.