AARP: Policy and Research Information for Professionals in Aging

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Disabilities

19 Million Working-Age Americans Have a Disability that Limits or Prevents Work. Most Are Poor or Low-Income.  / Research Report
April 2009— This AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet by Ellen O’Brien and Carlos Figueiredo explains why people with disabilities are often at a disadvantage in the labor market and calls on insurance and assistance programs to provide more timely and adequate support. (6 pages) (Publication ID: FS153)

The Characteristics of Social Security Beneficiaries Who Claim Benefits at the Early Entitlement Age  / Research Report
November 2008— This PPI Research Paper by Xiaoyan Li, Michael Hurd, and David S. Loughran of the RAND Corporation analyzes the characteristics of workers who take early Social Security retirement benefits. Its objective is to determine who might be adversely affected if the age of early eligibility for benefits, currently 62, is increased. (59 pages) (Publication ID: 2008-19)

Sources of Income of People Age 50 to 64 with Work Disabilities  / Research Report
May 2007— Income sources for people age 50 to 64 unable to work due to disabilities or health conditions are analyzed in this AARP Public Policy Institute Data Digest by Ke Bin Wu and Laurel Beedon. The report highlights the distribution of such individuals and of their major income sources by gender and race/ethnic group, (8 pages) (Publication ID: DD157)

In Brief: Just Getting By: Unmet Need for Personal Assistance Services Among Persons 50 or Older with Disabilities  / Research Report
December 2006— A succinct summary of the AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper of the same name in which Mary Jo Gibson and Satyendra Verma identify and discuss factors associated with unmet needs for help with essential daily activities among persons 50 and older with disabilities, their preferences for services, and related issues. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB132)

Just Getting By: Unmet Need for Personal Assistance Services Among Persons 50 or Older with Disabilities  / Research Report
December 2006— Many persons age 50+ with disabilities, survey results show, are not getting needed help with essential daily activities. Key factors associated with their unmet needs, and changes they say would substantially improve their lives are among the issues explored in this AARP Public Policy Institute issue paper by Mary Jo Gibson and Satyendra Verma. (42 pages) (Publication ID: 2006-25)

In Brief: A Growing Crisis in Health and Long-Term Services and Supports for Older Persons with Disabilities: Changes from 2002-2005  / Research Report
December 2006— A succinct summary of the AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper of the same name in which Mary Jo Gibson presents survey results showing increasing concern among older persons with disabilities about the cost of health care and help with basic daily activities. Other findings also reveal almost no good news in these individuals’ quality of life. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB133)

A Growing Crisis in Health and Long-Term Services and Supports for Older Persons with Disabilities: Changes from 2002-2005  / Research Report
December 2006— Concerns about the cost of health care and help with basic daily activities are increasing among older persons with disabilities, according to this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Mary Jo Gibson. Other findings also reveal almost no good news in these individuals’ quality of life. (30 pages) (Publication ID: 2006-26)

In Brief: State and Local Strategies for Ensuring Backup Personal Care Services  / Research Report
October 2006— A succinct summary of the similarly title AARP Public Policy Institute report examining state and local initiatives to ensure that effective mechanisms and safeguards are in place to identify and respond to service delivery failures that require backup coverage for Medicaid personal care services. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB130)

Bridging the Gaps: State and Local Strategies for Ensuring Backup Personal Care Services  / Research Report
October 2006— People with disabilities can find themselves at risk when authorized personal care services (PCS) are not delivered. This AARP Public Policy Institute report by Dorie Seavey and Vera Salter of the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute examines state and local initiatives for identifying and responding effectively to service delivery failures requiring backup coverage for Medicaid PCS. (35 pages) (Publication ID: 2006-19)

In Brief: Paying for Quality Care: State and Local Strategies for Improving Wages and Benefits for Personal Care Assistants  / Research Report
October 2006— A succinct summary of the similarly titled AARP Public Policy Institute report examining state and local initiatives to improve wages and benefits for direct-care workers delivering Medicaid personal care services. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB129)

Paying for Quality Care: State and Local Strategies for Improving Wages and Benefits for Personal Care Assistants  / Research Report
October 2006— Wages and benefits paid to personal care workers, studies show, play a fundamental role in determining the availability and quality of these workers. This AARP Public Policy Institute report by Dorie Seavey and Vera Salter of the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute examines state and local initiatives to improve wages and benefits for qualified direct-care workers. (44 pages) (Publication ID: 2006-18)

We Can Do Better: Lessons Learned for Protecting Older Persons in Disasters  / Research Report
May 2006— Key lessons learned by public and private sector leaders during hurricanes Katrina and Rita are summarized in this AARP Public Policy Institute report of AARP’s December 2005 “We Can Do Better” conference. New data and examples of promising practices are also presented in the report by Mary Jo Gibson with Michele Hayunga. (Publication ID: D18526)

Becoming Disabled After Age 65: The Expected Lifetime Costs of Independent Living  / Research Report
June 2005— The remaining lifetime probability of age 65+ individuals developing a disability requiring long-term care services, the service-related costs associated with avoiding nursing home placement and receiving appropriate quality care at home, and the cost of supporting currently institutionalized older persons in the community are estimated in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Marc A. Cohen, Maurice Weinrobe, Jessica Miller and Anne Ingoldsby. (57 pages) (Publication ID: 2005-08)

Disability: Federal Survey Definitions, Measurements, and Estimates  / Research Report
August 2004— The different ways "disability" has been defined and measured in national surveys sponsored by the federal government are discussed in this AARP Public Policy Institute data digest by Steven R. Gregory. (8 pages) (Publication ID: DD98)

In Brief: Disability: Federal Survey Definitions, Measurements, and Estimates  / Research Report
July 2004— A succinct summary of the AARP Public Policy Institute Data Digest in which Steven R. Gregory discusses the different ways “disability” has been defined and measured in national surveys sponsored by the federal government. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB85)

Medicaid Eligibility Policy for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Beneficiaries  / Research Report
November 2003— Medicaid eligibility policies for aged, blind, and disabled people in 2001 are described in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Brian K. Bruen, Joshuua M. Weiner and Seema Thomas of the Urban Institute. (46 pages) (Publication ID: 2003-14)

Consumer-Directed Personal Care Services for Older People in the U.S.  / Research Report
October 2003— State programs that offer consumers with disabilities more control over their personal care services are reviewed in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Brief by Barbara Coleman. (16 pages) (Publication ID: IB64)

AARP Report on Trends in Long-Term Services Finds More Years of Life Do Not Result in More Disabilities–Offering Opportunity for Future Long-Term Care Services  / News Release
April 2003— New AARP Report: Americans with disabilities age 50 and over strive for independence despite lack of coherent support system.

Beyond 50.03: A Report to the Nation on Independent Living and Disability: Executive Summary  / Research Report
April 2003— Text only HTML version of executive summary from the third in AARP's Beyond 50 series; an in-depth look at the roles played by supportive services, family and community, and our social and physical environments in enhancing the independence of age 50+ persons with disabilities. Appropriate for use by screen reader programs. (12 pages)

Beyond 50.03: A Report to the Nation on Independent Living and Disability  / Research Report
April 2003— An in-depth look at the roles played by supportive services, families and communities, and our social and physical environments in helping individuals age 50 and older live with dignity and independence is provided by the third in AARP's Beyond 50 series of annual reports on aging in America. (213 pages) (Publication ID: D17817)

Before the Boom: Trends in Long-Term Supportive Services for Older Americans With Disabilities  / Research Report
October 2002— Demographic, socioeconomic, market, and policy trends have changed the direction of long-term supportive services over the last couple of decades. In this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper, Donald L. Redfoot and Sheel M. Pandya examine these trends and how they are likely to affect the demand for services between now and 2030 when the oldest Baby Boomers turn 85. (65 pages) (Publication ID: 2002-15)

In Brief: Personal Care Services: A Four State Comparison  / Research Report
March 2001— A short summary of the similarly titled AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper in which Robert L. Mollica of the National Academy for State Health Policy describes how Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts and Washington use Medicaid and state funds to provide personal care services to older people with disabilities. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB36)

Personal Care Services: A Comparison of Four States  / Research Report
March 2001— How Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts and Washington use Medicaid and state funds to provide personal care services to older persons with disabilities. An AARP Public Policy Institute issue paper by Robert L. Mollica of the National Academy for State Health Policy. (28 pages) (Publication ID: 2001-04)

Changes in Home Care Use by Older People with Disabilities: 1982-1994  / Research Report
January 2000— This Public Policy Institute paper by Korbin Liu, Kenneth G. Manton and Cynthia Aragon, describes changes in the use of home care services by older people with disabilities. It does so by analyzing the 1982, 1989, and 1994 National Long-Term Care Surveys. Areas covered include disability status of people age 65 and older, sources of help, hours of help received, and sources of payment for long-term care services. (21 pages) (Publication ID: 2000-02)

Disabled Medicare Beneficiaries Under Age 65: A Review of State Efforts to Provide Access to Medicare Supplemental Insurance  / Research Report
October 1999— This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Nicole Tapay and Gerry Smolka provides information on the steps taken by nearly two dozen states to provide Medicare beneficiaries under age 65 a guaranteed opportunity to buy coverage to supplement Medicare. (26 pages) (Publication ID: 9915)

Midlife and Older Americans with Disabilities: Who Gets Help?  / Research Report
November 1998— This AARP Public Policy Institute chartbook by Enid Kassner and Robert W. Bectel contains a wealth of data and information on the characteristics of people age 50+ who receive help with long-term care needs. (82 pages) (Publication ID: D16883)

Determining Comparable Levels of Functional Disability  / Research Report
April 1998— This issue brief by PPI's Enid Kassner and Beth Jackson from the MEDSTAT Group, demonstrates that individuals who are limited in zero or one ADL (out of six) and five or six IADLs (out of eight) use a level of services that is comparable to individuals who are limited in two ADLs. (8 pages) (Publication ID: IB32)