Long-Term Care Trends
2003 AARP Alabama Member Opinion Survey: Long-Term Care
Research Report
David Cicero, AARP Knowledge Management
February 2004
AARP MEMBER OPINION RESEARCH: Nearly 30 percent of Alabama's population is over the age of 50. This translates into roughly 1,280,000 people. This proportion is expected to jump to 36 percent and 1,744,000 people by 2020. Given the needs of an aging population, this survey was conducted to explore Alabama AARP members' opinions and experiences with long-term care (LTC).
- Almost one in four Alabama members or their families needed
LTC in the past five years. Of these, a third had trouble finding
LTC when needed, and two in five reported having trouble finding
affordable care.
- Members say it would be important to be able to choose and
receive LTC services at home. If faced with a need for LTC, most
prefer paying a nurse or aide or having family and friends
provide in-home care.
- Members support increasing funding for services that would allow persons to stay in their own homes longer, even if it meant reducing funds for nursing homes.
This LTC report uses data from the more comprehensive 2003 AARP Alabama Member Opinion Survey of 1,099 Alabama AARP members which was conducted from April through May of 2003. The reports were written by David Cicero of AARP Knowledge Management. For questions about the reports, please, contact Rachelle Cummins of AARP Knowledge Management at 202-434-6297. (24 pages)