Light care residents in nursing homes: why they come, why they stay

With the increasing numbers of frail elderly, why light-care nursing home (NH) residents enter and remain in NHs is important to understand. Light-care residents (n = 98) from 11 NHs and their nurses were interviewed using open-ended questionnaires. Residents' care requirements were estimated using Resource Use Groups, Version III (RUG-III). We found that residents entered and remain in NHs because of the inability to perform instrumental activities of daily living, the fear of injury, ambulation problems, health problems, the lack of daily assistance, and a recent hospitalization. Most residents and nurses did not know of other options. These problems could be managed in the community if appropriate systems were in place.