title: Childless Elders in Assisted Living: Findings from the Maryland Assisted Living Study.
abstract: We compared data drawn from a random sample of 399 current assisted living (AL) residents and a subsample of 222 newly admitted residents for two groups: childless AL residents and AL residents with children. The percentage of childless AL residents (26%) in our study was slightly higher than US population estimates of childless persons age 65 and over (20%). In the overall sample, the two groups differed significantly by age, race and women's years of education. The childless group was slightly younger, had a higher percentage of African American residents, and had more years of education than the group with children. In the subsample, we looked at demographic, functional, financial and social characteristics and found that compared to residents with children, fewer childless residents had a dementia diagnosis, received visits from a relative while more paid less money per month for AL and reported having private insurance. As childlessness among older adults continues to increase, it will become increasingly important to understand how child status affects the need for and experience of long-term care.
authors.affiliation: Miami University, 367-E Upham Hall, Oxford, Ohio 45056. Office: (513) 529-9648;
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology, The University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 21250. Office: (410) 455-2059.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine 550 Building, Suite 308, 550 N. Broadway Baltimore, MD 21287. Office: 410.955.6158.
authors.forename: Chiadi U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Onyike
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 550 N. Broadway Street, Baltimore, MD 21205. Office: (410) 955-6158;
authors.forename: Deirdre M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.affiliation: Center of the Study of Aging, McDaniel College, Westminster, 249 Academic Hall, Westminster, MD 21157. Office: 410-386-4609.
authors.forename: Alva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5505 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, MD 21224 Office: (410) 550-8679;
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McNabney
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins Bayview, The Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 5300 Alpha Commons Drive, Alpha Commons Building, 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21224. Office: 410-550-0062;
authors.forename: Constantine G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lyketsos
authors.affiliation: Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Director of Geriatric Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1200 East Broad Street, PO Box 980710, Richmond, VA 23298. Office: (804) 827-0058;
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway Baltimore, MD 21287. Baltimore, MD. Office: (410) 955-6158;
authors.forename: Quincy M
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Samus
keywords: assisted living; childless; elderly; long term care
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