Community-Based Services for Older Adults with ADRD: Availability, Utilization, and State Context

More than three-quarters of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) receive care in their homes or community rather than in residential care facilities. However, there is substantial geographic variation in access to home health services. Communities in rural areas, low-income neighborhoods, and those with a lack of reliable transportation and few telephone services face significant barriers in initiating and maintaining home care. To that end, this project seeks to characterize trends in home health service availability, utilization patterns, and state approaches to long-term care associated with ADRD among community-dwelling older adults. We will use data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a longitudinal population-based survey of individuals over age 50, to examine a broad range of home- and community-based services. Findings will inform person-centered dementia care models that integrate home-based clinical care and long-term care services.