Long-term care for the elderly is a crucial issue. Each year, new data sheds light on the state of care in the United States. The National Study of Long-Term Care Providers reports on trends in residential care communities and adult day care centers. The study examines resident demographics, medical conditions, funding sources, and other variables.
Read 2014’s highlights below, and check out the full reports for more detailed information.
Variation in Operating Characteristics of Residential Care Communities, by Size of Community
- More than 6 in 10 residential care communities had 4–25 beds, but nearly 7 in 10 residents lived in communities with more than 50 beds.
- As community bed size increased, chain affiliation increased.
- Compared with communities with more beds, a higher percentage of communities with 4–25 beds offered disease-specific programs for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression.
- The use of electronic health records and computerized support for electronic health information exchange increased as community bed size increased.
Variation in Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics, by Size of Community
- In 2014, residents in larger communities were older than those in smaller communities.
- A higher percentage of residents in communities with 4–25 beds were receiving Medicaid compared with residents in larger communities.
- The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and depression was higher among residents in communities with 4–25 beds than in larger communities.
- The percentage of residents needing assistance in bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, walking, and eating was highest in communities with 4–25 beds.
- The percentage of residents who had fallen in the previous 90 days increased with increasing community bed size.
Variation in Operating Characteristics of Adult Day Services Centers, by Center Ownership
- In 2014, a higher percentage of nonprofit than for-profit adult day services centers had been in operation for 10 years or more.
- Compared with nonprofit centers, for-profit centers received a higher percentage of revenue from Medicaid and a lower percentage from private sources.
- A higher percentage of for-profit than nonprofit centers offered disease-specific programs for participants with cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes.
- A higher percentage of nonprofit than for-profit adult day services centers primarily served participants with select diagnoses.
Variation in Adult Day Services Center Participant Characteristics, by Center Ownership
- The racial and ethnic composition of participants in for-profit adult day services centers was more diverse than in nonprofit centers.
- About 61% of participants in for-profit centers received Medicaid, compared with 46% of those in nonprofit centers.
- The percentage of participants living with Alzheimer’s disease or with intellectual or developmental disability was higher in nonprofit adult day services centers than in for-profit centers.
- The percentage of participants needing assistance with dressing, toileting, and eating was higher in nonprofit centers than in for-profit centers.
- A higher percentage of participants in nonprofit centers (9%) than in for-profit centers (7%) had fallen in the last 90 days.
