Young disabled residents in old people's homes

A survey of the status of residents in aged care facilities in the Auckland region conducted in 1988 indicated that almost 9% (645) of the 7516 people studied were under 65 years of age. Rates were markedly higher for people of Maori descent than for those of European descent in this age group. For nonMaori, the rate for men was higher than that for women, but for Maori the opposite was the case. The majority of these young residents (94%) were being cared for in commercial old people's homes. One half were cared for in just 29 of the 223 homes in the region. While most (59%) were admitted after the age of 50, 15% were admitted before they were 40 and must expect to liver their lives out in institutions primarily housing elderly residents. Almost half of those in old people's homes had been admitted from a psychiatric hospital. The authors are concerned that so many young people appear to be in old people's homes because of a lack of alternative accommodation which is more suited to their care.