The experiences of older adults who need long-term services and supports are the focus of two new Commonwealth Fund reports by Amber Willink and colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
- The researchers find that, despite widespread use of assistive devices like grab bars and walkers, many older Americans living in the community don’t get the assistance they need to perform activities of daily living and remain in their homes.
- An analysis of spending on long-term services and supports finds that millions of Medicare beneficiaries with functional or cognitive impairments have trouble paying for food, rent, utilities, medical care, and prescription drugs.