The many benefits of assessment/care management.
These data provide a preliminary sense of demand for services among older people. They were collected in somewhat limited geographic areas by sponsors who are known in the community. Therefore, responses may reflect perceptions of specific sponsors, the degree to which services are available in various communities, and the level of familiarity with services. However, the data give a strong indication that long-term care services are viewed as complementary, and respondents understand the need for multiple services in assisting older people. The groups or factors were remarkably similar across the six sites, as were the rankings of services according to the percentage of people who rated each one or two on a five-point scale of importance. However, there was a great deal of variation in the percentage of respondents rating the services one or two by site. These results suggest that interest in services as packages is very consistent but that the degree of interest in services may vary from one market to another. Again, this may be the result of perceptions of the sponsor, the degree of availability of services in different markets or idiosyncrasies of different populations. Services are what will allow older people to remain in their homes and to maintain a maximum degree of independence. Whether people opt for a retirement community setting for the camaraderie, security and convenience it offers, or to remain in the broader community, coordination and integration are clearly necessary to appropriate, efficient and effective use and delivery of services. It is becoming clear that older people recognize this fact and will increasingly seek integrated service packages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000145:classification*; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States