Trends in the use of assistive technology and personal care for late-life disability, 1992-2001.
We describe national trends during the 1990s in late-life difficulty and assistance with self-care activities. Among older Americans living in the community and experiencing difficulty with self-care activities, assistive-technology use increased substantially whereas use of personal care declined. Using a decomposition technique, we demonstrate that these shifts in assistance toward technology account for half the decline in the number of people dependent on personal care.
Freedman
Vicki A
VA
Department Health Systems and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 335 George Street, Suite 2200, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA. vfreedman@umdnj.edu
Agree
Emily M
EM
Martin
Linda G
LG
Cornman
Jennifer C
JC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D012648:Self Care; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States