Long-term care preferences among older adults: a moving target?

Abstract

This study investigates long-term care preferences across three hypothetical scenarios and over one year of time among a sample of disabled older women receiving informal care (n = 420). Unpaid or paid help in one's home was preferred, given scenarios of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and activities of daily living (ADL) needs; nursing home care was most preferred for dementia care. While aggregate preferences for long-term care were relatively stable, there was considerable fluctuation in individuals' preferences over time, with just 52.5%, 44.4%, and 44.6% of participants retaining their initial first choice across IADL, ADL, and dementia scenarios, respectively. Implications of study findings are discussed.