Characteristics of Nursing Home Residents, 1996. Medical Panel Survey (MEPS)211 Research Findings No. 5

摘要

The report from the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) profiles211u001ethe health and demographic characteristics of the approximately 1.56 million 211u001epersons living in nursing homes in the United States on January 1, 1996. The data 211u001ewere obtained from a nationally representative sample of nursing homes and 211u001enursing home residents from the 1996 Nursing Home Component (NHC) of the Medical 211u001eExpenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Nursing home residents were highly dependent on 211u001eassistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Nearly all residents (97.2 211u001epercent) required assistance with at least one ADL and 83.3 percent required 211u001eassistance with three or more ADLs. Persons under age 65 were as dependent for 211u001eassistance as older residents. In general, cognitive problems were more prevalent 211u001ethan behavior problems among residents, and nearly half experienced communication 211u001eproblems. More than half of residents also experienced bladder or bowel 211u001eincontinence, or both. The majority of nursing home residents (65.8 percent) were 211u001ein private for-profit facilities. Almost 90 percent were white, and half (49.3 211u001epercent) were age 85 or over. More than two-thirds (71.6 percent) of residents 211u001ewere women. Although the data in this report do not reflect the insurance source 211u001eactually paying for nursing home care, most residents were enrolled in Medicare 211u001e(93.2 percent) and two-thirds were enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid (63.5 211u001epercent).