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: Effective strategies to recruit minority elders into health research (e.g., through churches, partnering with community gatekeepers) often involve nonrandom sampling methods. The current study has two aims: (a) to examine some new practices in recruitment of African American elders and (b) to determine the similarities and differences of…

Purpose of the Study: Recent demographic growth of the U.S. Chinese aging population calls for comprehensive understanding of their unique health needs. The objective of this study is to examine the perceptions, social determinants of depressive symptoms as well as their impact on health and well-being in a community-dwelling U.S. Chinese aging…

Purpose: We examined race/ethnicity and cultural context within hypothetical end-of-life medical decision scenarios and its influence on patient-proxy agreement. Design and Methods: Family dyads consisting of an older adult and 1 family member, typically an adult child, responded to questions regarding the older adult's preferences for…

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…

Considered financial capacity of elderly for purchasing long-term care plans: Social/Health Maintenance Organizations, long-term care insurance, Life Care at Home, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Found that between 50 percent and 80 percent of all elderly could afford one plan, depending on the amount of discretionary income they would…

Examines the impact of isolated patient transfers on institutional dependency. The patient sample consisted of 108 transfers and 759 long-term patients in a variety of old age institutions in New York state. Analysis revealed that transfer per se does not affect subsequent dependency. (Author)

Utilizes survey responses from 2178 community-dwelling older adults to test the hypothesis that predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics are better predictors of discretionary than nondiscretionary service use. Results generally support the hypothesis, underscoring the importance of need characteristics for least discretionary service use.…

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…

This study of three disadvantaged urban areas reports on the relationship between available resources and ambulatory health care. Findings indicate a high proportion of elderly receiving care for serious conditions but a sharp drop in care for less serious but potentially disabling conditions. (Author)

Life Care at Home (LCAH) provides benefits similar to continuing care retirement community (CCRC) at less cost to elderly who prefer to stay at home. Surveyed CCRC applicants and found that nearly one-half were interested in LCAH. Applicants interested in LCAH were concerned about community living, lifestyle changes in a CCRC, and cost. (Author/NB)

Surveyed patients and families who used hotline emergency service in ambulatory day treatment center for frail elderly. Results revealed appropriate use of service: Most calls required medical intervention, including hospitalization in 31 percent of cases. Findings suggest that 24-hour medical coverage is necessary and cost efficient. (Author/NB)