A profile of functionally impaired elderly persons living in the community

The Health Care Financing Administration, in cooperation with other agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services, conducted surveys in 1982 and 1984 designed to develop a better understanding of the number and circumstances of functionally impaired elderly persons living in the community. This report is based on data from the 1982 Long-Term Care Survey. There were approximately 5 million functionally impaired elderly persons living in the community in 1982. The data show that functionally impaired persons in the community are older, are more often female, have lower incomes, and have a larger proportion of black people than the general elderly population. The data also provide baseline information on what functional impairments are prevalent among them, what means they use to cope with the limitations, and from whom they receive help. The baseline data gathered in 1982 will be supplemented by longitudinal data gathered in the 1984 Long-Term Care Survey.