141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

293052
"staying at home no matter what:" unmet needs for community dwelling older adults

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 9:18 AM - 9:30 AM

Anne Soon Choi, PhD, MPH, MSW , Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA
Kathryn G. Kietzman, PhD, MSW , Center for Health Policy Research, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Steven P. Wallace, PhD , UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Los Angeles, CA
Jacqueline M. Torres, MPH, MA , School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Charlene Chang, MA , Center for Health Policy Research, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Carolyn A. Mendez-Luck, PhD, MPH , College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
A.E. (Ted) Benjamin, PhD , School of Public Affairs, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
The focus on consumer driven care in the US is part of the larger “aging in place” movement that emphasizes independence for older adults. However, for community dwelling older adults who rely on publicly financed programs to “age in place,” budget cutbacks of these programs have contributed to an increase in unmet needs. Drawing on a sample of qualitative interviews from a study of California older adults, who qualify for publically financed in-home supportive services (IHSS), this paper examines the impact of unmet needs on the quality of life of these older adults and explores how these individuals address these gaps in care. Data were collected over a two year-period on older adults (age 65 and over) who are consumers of public programs that provide long-term in-home care services and supports. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the older adult and their paid caregiver. Data were independently coded by two researchers. The results of thematic analyses suggest that budget cutbacks to publicly financed programs contribute to the increase in unmet needs. Additionally, it was discovered that even for individuals with the maximum allotted hours of in-home supportive services had significant unmet needs, Finally, it was also discovered that unmet needs varied widely from individual to individual.

Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related public policy
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify the unmet needs of community dwelling older adults who rely on public programs Describe the obstacles that community dwelling older adults face in managing their care needs Explain how unmet needs negatively impact the lives of community dwelling older adults

Keywords: Long-Term Care, Aging

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am trained in public health and social work and have been working on issues of aging for over five years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.