Table 6. Characteristics of Community and Institutional Elderly Long-term Care (LTC) Users1, 1984 and 1994
| Characteristics |
Community |
Institutional |
| 1984 |
1994 |
1984 |
1994 |
| Number of LTC Users (thousands) |
4,095 |
3,900 |
1,409 |
1,638 |
| Percent of All Elderly |
14.6 |
11.8 |
5.0 | 4.9 |
| Mean Age (years) |
78.1 |
79.1 |
82.3 |
83.7 |
| |
Percent Distribution by Characteristic |
Gender
Female
Male |
65.2
34.8 |
69.3
30.7 |
73.5
26.5 | 74.0
26.0 |
Race
White
Black
Other |
84.9
13.4
1.7 |
84.6
13.8
1.6 |
93.6
5.6
0.8 | 92.7
6.7
0.6 |
Marital Status
Married
Widowed
Never married
Separated/divorced |
42.3
48.3
4.9
4.4 |
41.9
48.0
3.9
6.3 |
13.4
65.3
16.0
5.3 | 15.6
67.2
10.7
6.5 |
Level of IADL/ADL Disability
IADLs only
1-2 ADLs
3-6 ADLs |
49.7
25.7
24.6 |
38.9
31.2
29.9 |
8.6
24.5
66.9 | 8.1
18.0
73.9 |
| Cognitively Impaired2 |
24.2 |
27.4 |
61.1 | 70.3 |
Source: 1984 and 1994 National Long-term Care Surveys.
Note: Some percentages may not add to 100 because of missing values. For dichotomous variables except gender, excluded category not shown. Except where shown, missing values do not exceed 2% of the relevant sample.
1 Long-term care use is defined as receipt of human assistance or standby help with at least one of six ADLs and eight IADLs. The ADLs included are eating, transfer, toileting, getting around inside, dressing, and bathing. The IADLs are meal preparation, grocery shopping, light housework, laundry, financial management, taking medication, telephoning, and getting around outside.
2 Community dwelling elderly persons were classified as cognitively impaired if they (i) had Alzheimer's disease, mental retardation, or senility; or (ii) had a diagnosed ADL or IADL-linked mental condition or disorder based on ICD9-CM codes; or (iii) answered incorrectly to four or more questions in the Mini-Mental Status Questionnaire (when applied). Institutionalized elderly persons were classified as cognitively impaired if condition (iii) above applied.
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