Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Working Paper: Elders In Massachusetts Prefer Paid Caregivers, Francis G. Caro

Gerontology Institute Publications

Older Massachusetts residents would rather have paid professionals provide their long-term care than their own children, according to a recent UMass Poll of 461 Massachusetts residents.

Grandparent Care In The American Indian/ Alaska Native Population, Jan Mutchler, Seungah Lee, Lindsey A. Baker

Gerontology Institute Publications

The purpose of this report is to provide information on American Indian/Alaska Native (hereafter, Native American) grandparent caregivers in the United States. Many grandparents are responsible for grandchildren who live with them in the same household. The 1996 Welfare Reform Act mandates that statistics be collected on grandparents who serve as caregivers to a grandchild. In response to this requirement, questions were developed for the 2000 Census of Population asking each adult about care for grandchildren living in the same household. We use the census information to identify grandparents who are caring for grandchildren in two different types of households: …

Grandparent Care In The Latino/Hispanic Population, Jan Mutchler, Seungah Lee, Lindsey A. Baker

Gerontology Institute Publications

The purpose of this report is to provide information on Latino grandparent caregivers in the United States. Many grandparents are responsible for grandchildren who live with them in the same household. The 1996 Welfare Reform Act mandates that statistics be collected on grandparents who serve as caregivers to a grandchild. In response to this requirement, questions were developed for the 2000 Census of Population asking each adult about care for grandchildren living in the same household. We use the census information to identify grandparents who are caring for grandchildren in two different types of households: skipped-generation households, in which a …

Grandparent Care In The Asian Population, Jan Mutchler, Seungah Lee, Lindsey A. Baker

Gerontology Institute Publications

The purpose of this report is to provide information on Asian grandparent caregivers in the United States. Many grandparents are responsible for grandchildren who live with them in the same household. The 1996 Welfare Reform Act mandates that statistics be collected on grandparents who serve as caregivers to a grandchild. In response to this requirement, questions were developed for the 2000 Census of Population asking each adult about care for grandchildren living in the same household. We use the census information to identify grandparents who are caring for grandchildren in two different types of households: skipped-generation households, in which a …

Toward Improved Support For Research On Delivery Of Home- And Community-Based Long-Term Care, Francis G. Caro

Gerontology Institute Publications

Stronger and more consistent support is needed for research on long-term care. A greater investment in research will strengthen the ability of public and private organizations to provide effective and efficient assistance to people with disabilities and their informal caregivers. This paper provides a rationale for stronger research funding for the field and outlines several options to strengthen research.

Providing Low-Cost Assistive Equipment Through Home Care Services: The Massachusetts Assistive Equipment Demonstration, Alison S. Gottlieb, Francis G. Caro

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report describes the Massachusetts Assistive Equipment Demonstration, a collaborative project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson’s Home Care Research Initiative and carried out collaboratively by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA). The purpose of the demonstration was to systematically encourage the use of low-cost assistive equipment among elderly clients through existing case management resources, thereby extending the effectiveness of the Massachusetts home care program by supplementing formal services with expanded use of assistive equipment.

Medicare Supplemental Insurance: Today's Crisis, Health Care For All, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Gerontology Institute Publications

The purpose of health insurance is to spread risk. The system works under the assumption that, at any given point in time, only a percentage of the people in a given group will be sick. Regardless of health status, all members of the group will be paying premiums in order to cover the cost of care for those who need it.

As a group, however, seniors represent a high-risk population. They are more likely than younger people to need health care services and tend to require longer hospital stays. Yet, while their expenses are greater, their financial resources are generally …

Long-Term Care Policy: Where Are We Going?, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Omb Watch

Gerontology Institute Publications

Millions of Americans suffer from physical or mental conditions that make it difficult for them to live fully independent lives. These are the frail elderly, disabled and chronically ill persons of all ages, and many mentally ill or mentally retarded persons. They need help to manage daily activities, whether they live in their own homes or in nursing homes.

Such care can be extremely expensive, since it often must be provided for many years, even a lifetime. Today, those costs are met largely by the individuals themselves or by their families and by public programs for low-income persons.

For many …