The results of the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers in the US for 2013-2014 conducted by the CDC are now available. The study covered 51 states including the District of Columbia. It provides statistics and characteristics of service providers such as: adult day services center, home health agencies, hospices, nursing homes and assisted-living/residential care communities. The biennial study aims to provide accurate and timely statistics and data that will help in the formulation of policies, research and good practice in the short and long-term. Specifically, the main goals of the study are to estimate the supply of long-term care providers, define key and relevant policies and practices, generate and compare national/state statistics and monitor trends.
The statistics showed that nursing homes are the primary sector providers of long-term care in the US followed by residential home communities. It appears that assisted-living facilities are growing at a fast rate even though policies are in place to encourage home and community-based care. This projected growth is spurred by the retirement of baby boomers in the coming decades. By 2050, there will be 83 million seniors. In addition, life expectancy continues to increase, many retirees will decide where to stay and spend the rest of their days. Assisted-living is an option.
Nursing home residents were the highest users of long-term care services followed by those in residential care. In terms of health and functional characteristics, depression and Alzheimer’s were prevalent among nursing home residents followed by those in hospice care. Daily living assistance was common in the 5 sectors with those in nursing care experiencing a higher percentage.
A RAND Corporation study, on the other hand, corroborates that the risk for older Americans needing nursing home care is higher than previously projected. Researchers were surprised by the outcome of the study estimating that among older adults age 57-61, 56% will likely stay at least one night in a nursing home. An older population that needs long-term care for dementia could cause the rise in demand for nursing homes.
Michael Hurd, lead author of the study at RAND says, “It is important to provide individuals and families a reliable assessment of the likelihood of entering a nursing home in retirement. This information could help people make better decisions about how they or their loves ones will pay for the care they are likely to need.”
The descriptive results of the CDC study provide an insight for policymakers to address the demands of the healthcare system including its services and facilities. It also shows where the gaps might lie in terms of long-term care and assistance for an aging population.
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About Seniors and Health: seniorsandhealth.com is an online resource dedicated to providing up-to-date information and advice to older adults, their families, and caregivers regarding care, health issues, and assisted living. New research and resources are being added all the time in order to provide the best quality information possible.
1 Comment
Wow, it’s interesting that you mentioned assisted-living facilities are growing at a fast rate. My grandmother is thinking of moving to an assisted living community and wasn’t sure what her options were. Thank you for the information on life expectancy increasing in the baby boomer generation. I’ll be sure to tell her about the options for her future.