Functional Status and Long-Term Care Services for the Community-Dwelling Low-Income Elderly

Jeon, Eun Young

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to explore the functional status and long-term care services for the community-dwelling low-income elderly. METHOD: A descriptive research design was used in this study. The functional status of the participants was obtained using Minimum Data Set-Home Care Version 2.0 and the long-term care services were identified via Michigan's choice. Total of 154 persons aged 65 years or older completed Korean Minimum Data Set-Home Care Version 2.0 on the community dwelling low-income elderly.
RESULTS
The average of Activities of Daily Living was 4.19, and the range was 0-55, while the average of Instrument of Activities of Daily Living was 4.85 and the range was 0-56. Among the subjects, 46.1% belonged to the Information and Referral group and 1.3% to the Nursing Home group. Severe daily pain was reported by 14.9%, and 76.6% of the participants had impaired vision. The Activities of Daily Living was difference according to living with, education, vision, and depression. The long-term care services differed according to gender, pain, vision, hearing, and depression.
CONCLUSION
The support policy for the elderly needed to focus on impaired visual and depression to enhance the activities of daily living. Moreover, there is a need for the Information and Referral group to arrange and develop nursing intervention resources.