Purpose: Based on the medical offset effect, the goal of the study was to examine the extent to which users and nonusers of adult day care centers (ADCC) differ in frequency of use of out-patient health services (visits to specialists) and in-patient health services (number of hospital admissions, length of hospitalizations, and visits to…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative online system to support long-term-care decision making. Design and Methods: The Long-Term Care Choices tool is a web-based system that uses expert opinion and structures decision making. Results: The system has been well accepted, and most users find it easy to use. Implications:…

Purpose: Previous research from the Cash and Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation (CCDE) in Arkansas, New Jersey, and Florida suggests that giving consumers control over their personal care greatly increases their satisfaction and improves their outlook on life. Still, some argue that consumer-directed care may not be appropriate for consumers…

Purpose: We examine the relationship between the perceived needs and assessed needs of community-dwelling seniors. Design and Methods: Trained research assistants administered the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Baseline Survey to 268 community-dwelling older adults in suburban Maryland. Perceived and assessed needs were measured in the…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between functional disability and the use of health care services in a nationally representative sample of older adults by using the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization. Design and Methods: The study used 12 years of longitudinal…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore how medical care is delivered to older people in assisted living (AL) settings and to suggest ways for improving it. Design and Methods: We present a review of the limited research available on health care for older AL residents and on building testable models of better ways to organize primary…

Used secondary data sources to examine relative importance of geographic mobility as factor affecting use of Veterans Administration (VA) health services by older veterans. Found that variation in state VA health service admission rates was better explained primarily by characteristics of resident nonmobile veteran population and characteristics…

Notes that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) provide large volume of health care services to older Americans. Contends that HMOs must reexamine general practice of equating utilization of services with health care need and collect better population-based information, including measures of health status. Discusses data elements widely…

Discusses the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of older persons because the elderly are likely to have a combination of social, psychological, and medical problems when they become ill. Discusses the role of the psychiatrist in light of his/her training, practice, and outlook. (Author/ABL)

An analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey shows consistent and substantial improvements in the relative health of the aged from 1961-81. Explanations for this trend include cohort effects, Medicare and Medicaid, and other programs for the aged. Increasing health service needs should be partially offset by this trend.…

Planning and research related to long-term care for American Indian elderly population lag behind state-of-the-art. Indian Health Service, major health care provider for this population, has resisted developing services specific to older tribal members. Innovative efforts have, however, emerged at local level. (Author/NB)

Interpreted results of needs assessment completed by active caregivers (n=58) and former caregivers (n=57) of relatives with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Results imply need for high-quality educational material throughout caregiving, improved training for health professionals about AD, and role for former caregivers as information resources.…

Interviewed 136 female heads of households in rural Sri Lanka. Found that marital status figured more importantly than age in use of health services. Concludes that, as unmarried heads of households increase in less developed places, their demands for health care at the village level likely will escalate. (Author/NB)

Describes targeting policies of four Social Health Maintenance Organization sites which deliver integrated, prepaid, acute, and chronic care to Medicare beneficiaries. Analyzes complexities of operationalizing targeting systems in four different settings. Notes that selection criteria for targeting expanded benefits and their implementation affect…

Describes the Manitoba Longitudinal Study on Aging 1970-77 and discusses its relative potential in investigating the health and health care use behaviors of older persons. Data indicate that a person's utilization behaviors appear to remain consistent over time. (Author/RC)