Abstract
Objective: The first aim of this study was to explore expected demands of the oldest old and their determinants for different types of elderly care services. The second aim was to investigate preferred choices of living arrangements among the oldest old and the influencing factors.Methods: Data of 4,738 participants aged ≥80 years were extracted from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey carried out in 2014. Using the Andersen model as the analysis framework, a multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between the expected elderly care services and living arrangements and other influencing factors. The odds ratios were calculated to indicate the relationship between the influencing factors and the dependent variables.Results: From the descriptive analysis results, we found that the oldest old showed high anticipated needs for home visits (83.5%) and health education (76.4%). Further, there existed a huge imbalance between the supply and demand of care services for the aged. Living with children is still the most important way of providing for the oldest old. The regression results showed that the expected demands for elderly care services and anticipated living arrangements among the oldest old in China are influenced by age, residence, housing property rights, economic status, loneliness, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The oldest old who are older without housing property rights, childless, and have restricted ADLs were more frequently observed to live in long-term care institutions.Conclusions: There is an inequality of the supply and expected demand for elderly care services, and living with children is still a preferred choice of the Chinese oldest old. Our findings indicate that when planning how to promote elderly care services among the oldest old, it is important to consider their expectations, especially for the subgroup that is relatively disadvantaged. Related policies should be developed to offer incentives to family caregivers when they live with the oldest old.
Highlights
IntroductionIn China, the oldest old are assumed to account for 22% of the total population, and the old age support ratio is projected to decline from about 8:1–2:1 by 2050 [2]
The population of the oldest old is rapidly growing worldwide [1]
This study investigated an extensive range of elderly care services that fit within the Chinese context and anticipated living arrangements among the oldest old
Summary
In China, the oldest old are assumed to account for 22% of the total population, and the old age support ratio is projected to decline from about 8:1–2:1 by 2050 [2]. The oldest old have a high risk of suffering from health conditions, such as geriatric syndromes, frailty, comorbidities, dementia, and functional decline [3,4,5,6]. As their functioning worsens, they are most likely cared for by resources from their informal support networks, community services, and government-supported policies or programs. The oldest old is part of the disadvantaged groups that urgently need elderly care services due to their relatively worse physical condition
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