Residents living in residential care facilities: United States, 2010

In 2010, residential care residents were mostly female, non-Hispanic white, and aged 85 and over, and had a median length of stay of about 22 months. For about 20% of residents—or 137,700 persons—Medicaid paid for at least some long-term care services provided by the RCF. This estimate is similar to that found in a recent study (3). Almost 40% of all residential care residents received assistance with three or more ADL limitations, and over 40% had Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. These findings suggest a vulnerable population with a high burden of functional and cognitive impairment. Residential care is an important component of the U.S. long-term care system. This report presents national estimates of people living in RCFs, using data from the first-ever national probability sample survey of RCFs with four or more beds. This brief profile of residential care residents may provide useful information to policymakers, providers, and consumer advocates as they plan for the future long-term care needs of older as well as younger adults. In addition, these findings serve as baseline national estimates as researchers continue to track the growth of and changes in the residential care industry.