Long-Term Care

Decline in disability among elderly

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, December 6, 2006

A new study funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) found that chronic disability in the elderly is declining, stated a NIA press release. The study, Change in chronic disability from 1982 to 2004/2005 as measured by long-term changes in function and health in the U.S. elderly population was first published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It discovered that individuals ages 65 and older with chronic disability fell from 26.5% in 1982 to 19% in 2004/2005. The decline continued at a rate of 1.52% each year. Researchers are hopeful that the trend will improve the long term financial stability of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, stated the NIA press release.

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