Purpose: The Veterans Affairs or VA health care system is in the process of significantly expanding home health care (HOC) nationwide. We describe VA HHC use in 2003 for all VA HHC users from 2002; we examine whether VA utilization across a broad spectrum of services differed for a sample of VA HHC users and their propensity-score-matched…

Estimated effect of variety of factors on the utilization of home help among the elderly in Sweden using a sample (n=421) of people 75 years and older. Results indicated physical functioning (instrumental activities of daily living) and living alone were most important. (Author/ABL)

Assesses applied relevance of research on home care, reviewing literature on predictors of use of home care services, experience of receiving home care, and efficacy studies. Notes that efficacy studies have not concluded that home care is less costly or better for quality of life of older adults when compared with institutional care. (Author/NB)

Examined differences in patterns of service use between persons with probable or possible Alzheimer's disease who lived alone (n=439) versus those living with others (n=2,026). Found that those living alone were more likely female, poor, older, and had milder cognitive impairments; less likely to use medical services; and more likely to use…

Investigated four kinds of community-based housing and case-managed home care programs for associations with subsequent institutional utilization. Analyses of institutional placement rates and days indicated that significant effects of housing and case-managed home care services were limited to elderly in the high institutional-risk group.…

Describes the Massachusetts Home Care Corporation network, which provides alternatives to institutional long-term care. This investigation confirms that home-based support service can be targeted to selected subgroups, that targeting can be maintained, and that the recipients of these services are indeed the individuals who risk…

Examined the use of public services by 1,080 Norwegian older adults. Results showed more than one-third use public services for the aged (i.e., are institutionalized or receive home help or home nursing). The use of services is affected by both need and demand factors. The family's role is discussed. (JAC)

Analyzed relationship between cognitive impairment and use and cost of health care, examining data from 1981-1982 Long-Term Care National Channeling Demonstration Project. Results indicated a substantial cost difference between money spent on home, institutional or nursing home care for cognitively intact and cognitively impaired persons.…

Purpose: This study explored similarities and differences in social support, home health service utilization, and health outcomes across four racial-ethnic groups of elders. Design and Methods: 1999 Outcomes Assessment Information Set records for 7,374 home care recipients who were 75 years of age or older and who were discharged to self-care were…