Expenditures for long-term care services by community elders

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Economics
• Public Health

Background:

• Community-based care is increasingly utilized for elderly populations.
• Understanding the cost implications of various care settings is crucial for resource allocation.
• Existing research often overlooks the detailed expenditure variations within community care models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and compare the costs of care for elderly persons across diverse community-based settings.
• To determine the relationship between care expenditures, living arrangements, and the use of case-managed home care.
• To evaluate the potential for cost savings in community care demonstration programs.

Main Methods:

• Comparative cost analysis of elderly care in five distinct community settings.
• Inclusion of individuals living independently and in group housing.
• Differentiation between recipients and non-recipients of case-managed home care.

Main Results:

• Annual care expenditures ranged from approximately $1,100 to $4,025.
• Higher expenditures were associated with increased risk of institutionalization.
• Case-managed home care recipients incurred greater care costs.

Conclusions:

• The cost of community care for the elderly is substantial, even without intensive management.
• The direct relationship between expenditure and institutionalization risk highlights care needs.
• Significant cost savings from community care demonstration programs may be limited due to existing high utilization.