| Title | Do Seniors Understand Their Risk of Moving to a Nursing Home? |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2005 |
| Authors | Taylor, Jr., DH, Ostermann, J, S. Acuff, W, Ostbye, T |
| Journal | Health Services Research |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pagination | 811 |
| Call Number | pubs_2005_Taylor_etal.pdf |
| Keywords | Health Conditions and Status, Healthcare |
| Abstract | Objective: To determine whether seniors understand their risk of moving to a nursing home. Data Sources: We used longitudinal data from the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) database. AHEAD is a nationally representative survey (n=8,203) of community dwellers aged 70 years and their spouses. Study Design: We followed respondents for 5 years from the date of the first interview fielded in 1993. Our primary dependent variable was whether respondents moved to a nursing home within 5 years of baseline; self-assessed probability of moving to a nursing home within 5 years, also assessed at baseline, was the primary explanatory variable. Principal Findings: We found that seniors who believed they were more likely to move to a nursing home within 5 years were indeed more likely to do so, and that most elders overestimated their likelihood of moving to a nursing home. Conclusions: Low rates of private long-term care insurance are not plausibly a result of seniors underestimating their personal risk of moving to a nursing home; such an assumption is inherent in many strategies to plan for the future long-term care needs of the baby boom generation. |
| Endnote Keywords | Long-Term Care/Nursing Homes/Aging |
| Endnote ID | 15250 |
| Citation Key | 7032 |
