Health care needs of community-dwelling older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To identify, assess, and rank the importance of health care needs of community-dwelling older adults.


METHODS
A structured telephone interview with 107 respondents (physicians, direct service providers and administrators) about the importance of a list of 31 health care needs of older adults. Respondents also identified the single most important health issue facing local older adults now and in the next 5 to 10 years.


RESULTS
The five most important health care needs, in descending order, are: care-giver support services, community long-term care services, services for people with dementia/Alzheimer's disease, palliative/end-of-life care, and services for cancer patients and their families. Community long-term care services were identified as the single most important health issue both now and in the next 5 to 10 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The study findings should be of value to health and social service researchers, planners, providers and administrators regarding the needs of community-dwelling older adults.
Krueger
P
P
St. Joseph's Health Care System Research Network, Father Sean O'Sullivan Research Centre, Brantford, ON N3S 6T6. kruegerp@mcmaster.ca
Brazil
K
K
Lohfeld
L
L
daPonte
J
J
Slobodnik
M
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009864:Ontario; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone