Sociodemographic differences among members of two ethnic groups in a geriatric rehabilitation unit in Israel

The Assessment of Dependency for Long-Term Care Benefits form was used to explore differences among 336 elderly Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews during their first phase of recovery in a geriatric rehabilitation unit in Israel. Sephardi Jews were more likely to be younger, widowed at an earlier age, poorer, less educated, hold less prestigious jobs, and have fewer social roles. They were also more likely to be religious and to live in multigenerational households. In contrast, a higher proportion of Ashkenazi Jews owned their own houses or apartments and lived only with their spouses. No differences were observed in these two groups in terms of the number and duration of visits they received during their hospitalization; most of them had fairly extensive visits. Most of these elderly people reported having good family relationships. This perception was related to their living arrangements, number of social roles, marital situation, level of education, and identity of the main visitor during their hospitalization. Patients' social roles affected both the number of visits they received and the perceived relationships within the family.