Unmet home care service needs of rural older adults with Alzheimer's disease: a perspective of informal caregivers.
This study assessed unmet service needs of rural older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and identified factors that were related to these needs. Data were collected from 109 informal caregivers of AD patients. Over half of the patients experienced unmet service needs in 1 or more areas of activities of daily functioning. Informal caregiver burden and patient's gender and functional status were significantly related to patients' unmet service needs. Patients' use of formal services was marginally related to their unmet service needs. To better address patients' service needs, a comprehensive needs assessment should be conducted with both patients and their caregivers.
School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Hong
H
Li
Gregory A
GA
Kyrouac
Dennis Q
DQ
McManus
Robert E
RE
Cranston
Susan
S
Hughes
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D012947:Social Work