Various methodologies place the number of elderly retarded Americans between 50,000 and 315,000 persons. The literature surveyed by the author indicates that the retarded experience the aging process similarly to the nonretarded population, can adapt to the nursing-home environment, and will become a greater social concern in the future. (Author)

Presents three articles on housing policies for the elderly. Topics include the need for housing assistance and targeting aid to the disabled, the practicality of delivering support services to impaired elderly in current housing, and potential future directions of federal housing policy. (NRB)

Interviewed 990 urban elderly Canadians to examine factors influencing the desire for different housing. Results showed that housing conditions, living with children, and sickness influenced the wishes of the elderly to leave home, while functional impairment was not related. (JAC)

Describes a peer counselor training program for five older adult volunteers. Presents suggestions for advertising, screening, program format, and development of practica, and examines the role and helpfulness of the peer counselors who provided in-home counseling services. (JAC)

Cost effectiveness of the program cannot be accurately determined. Assessment is based on actual self-care rather than proving poverty. A flexible approach is taken toward disability level and family support. States should keep community care flexible and available at acceptable cost. (JAC)

Assessed effect of changes in minimum number of activities of daily living (ALD) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) limitations, types of help, and duration of disability required on size of population potentially eligible for home care benefits. Only 411,000 elders met restrictive disability criteria; over 4 million would qualify…

Interviewed 179 caregivers of hospitalized patients and studied discharge decisions to examine factors associated with willingness to continue in caregiving role after hospitalization of relative with dementia. Caregivers initially undecided about discharge plans were likely to seek placement for patients with more severe cognitive impairment,…

Found clientele of two comprehensive sociomedical home care programs to be similar to clientele of a traditional medical nursing program. The comprehensive programs did not have clientele with more problems and less adequate social supports. To serve their target clientele, these programs need more homemaker and personal services. (Author/ABB)

Availability of nursing home beds was a strong predictor of institutional care. Higher rates of community care occurred where there were greater expenditures for protective, legal, chore, day care and social/recreation services and, in which there were more older persons in poverty and fewer women working. (Author)

Presents estimates of paraprofessional home care revenue and size, the composition of the industry, and the workforce incentives inherent in different forms of reimbursement. Findings from the review are discussed, including indications that industry's reliance on public funding places special importance on payment policies that recognize critical…

Draws on two studies of the impaired elderly (N=332) to address the potential impact of public payments to persons providing in-home care for the impaired elderly. Findings suggest family members are heavily involved in support for the elderly and institutionalization is most often the result of nonfinancial factors. (Author/JAC)

Discusses the feasibility of delivering combined health and social services to an elderly population. The social/health maintenance organization (S/HMO), incorporating features of health maintenance organizations with community social services, will be financed on a prepaid, capitated basis through premium contributions from Medicare, Medicaid,…

Describes the development of a mobile geriatric outreach team. The importance of thorough, interdisciplinary assessment and the offering of active, brief psychotherapy are stressed. Community education programs and consultations to the aging network reach the senior community and other referral sources. Preliminary program evaluation data are…

A retrospective cohort design is used to estimate the effect of urinary incontinence (UI) on the public costs of home care services to elderly individuals. Multivariate analyses controlling for other individual, household, and supply characteristics demonstrate that those with UI generate significantly greater public costs for home care services.…

Describes a diversified approach to delivering home care to vulnerable older people. This pilot program, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elder Affairs, attempted to reduce the demand for scarce homemaker services. Results suggest homecare diversification did not alter consumer satisfaction but increased manager time. (Author/JAC)