Long-Term Care and Ethnicity

The first comprehensive analysis of ethnic/racial differences in long-term care needs and service use.

Despite the rapid aging of the population and the tremendous growth in ethnic and racial diversity among the elderly in our society, empirical studies on long-term care needs and service use of minority elders have been lacking.

Despite the rapid aging of the population and the tremendous growth in ethnic and racial diversity among the elderly in our society, empirical studies on long-term care needs and service use of minority elders have been lacking. Based on two national datasets, this is the first comprehensive analysis of long-term care needs, patterns, and determinants of in-home, community-based, and nursing home service utilization and informal support among African American and Hispanic elders, as compared to those of their non-Hispanic White counterparts. The authors also compare caregiver burden within the three groups and present recommendations for ethnic-sensitive long-term care policy and practice for minority elders.