Does Assisted Living Capacity Influence Case Mix at Nursing Homes?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Health Services Research
• Long-Term Care Policy and Economics

Background:

• Assisted living facilities (ALFs) have experienced significant growth, potentially impacting nursing home (NH) resident acuity.
• Understanding the long-term care market dynamics is crucial for effective service planning, especially after periods of market stabilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between assisted living facility (ALF) bed market capacity and nursing home (NH) case mix.
• To analyze long-term care market adjustments in Virginia, a state with stabilized ALF capacity and stable NH usage.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of ALF bed market capacity and its correlation with NH case mix in Virginia.
• Examination of the long-term care landscape following a period of ALF growth and subsequent stabilization.

Main Results:

• Evidence of some substitution of assisted living facility (ALF) care for nursing home (NH) care was observed.
• The relationship between ALF market capacity and NH case mix was found to be non-linear.
• NHs may be left with residents requiring higher levels of care due to ALF market penetration.

Conclusions:

• Communities must consider the complex interplay between ALFs and NHs when planning long-term care services.
• Policies supporting ALFs could facilitate meeting care needs in more cost-effective settings than NHs.
• The findings highlight the need for nuanced policy approaches to long-term care provision.