Location Matters: Disparities in the Likelihood of Receiving Services in Late Life.

Location Matters: Disparities in the Likelihood of Receiving Services in Late Life. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2020 Aug 24;:91415020948205 Authors: Weaver RH, Roberto KA Abstract Moving beyond typical dichotomous rural-urban categorizations, this study examines older adults' likelihood of receiving home- and community-based services. Data from 1608 individuals aged 60+ who requested assistance from Area Agencies on Aging in Virginia in 2014-2015 were analyzed; 88% of individuals received at least one service. Receiving services was associated with geographic-based factors. Individuals living in completely rural areas were significantly less likely to receive any service compared to individuals in mostly rural (OR = 2.46, p = .003) and mostly urban (OR = 1.97, p = .024) areas. There were subtle but significant geographic-based differences in the likelihood of receiving specific services including food/meal, fresh food, information and referral, in-home care, utilities support, and transportation. Findings provide nuanced insights about geographic-based disparities in the receipt of services and suggest the need for new and modified service delivery strategies that maximize older adults' ability to live. PMID: 32830543 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: International Journal of Aging and Human Development - Category: Geriatrics Tags: Int J Aging Hum Dev Source Type: research