| Scripps Study Shows Ohio LTC System Changing |
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Scripps Study Shows Ohio LTC
System Changing A study completed by the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University indicates that the state of Ohio has improved its long-term care options for the aging population by increasing in-home services, and that the long-term care system is changing its use of nursing facility care. The report shows that with more than 2 million individuals age 60 and over, Ohio ranks 6th in the nation in the sheer size of the population in this age category. However, the study also reports that nursing facilities have shifted their focus and now provide a combination of both long-and short-term care. In 1992, Ohio facilities had 71,000 admissions; in 2007 that number had increased to 201,000. The number of short-term Medicare admissions has been a major reason for this increase from 30,000 in 1992 to 126,500 in 2007. The report also indicates that for many residents, nursing facilities are used for short stays; more than half spend three months or less and two-thirds are residents for less than six months. The report states that Ohio has begun to change how it delivers long-term care services and supports to individuals with severe disability. Over the last ten years, despite increases in the number of those age 85 and above by more than 74,000, Ohio has seen a 9% reduction in Medicaid nursing facility use by individuals age 60 and older. At the same time the state has experienced a 17% increase in the under-60 population utilizing Medicaid nursing facility services.
The
report shows an increase in the number of residential care facility beds, driven
by growth in assisted living facilities in 2007, with 556 residences containing
just over 38,000 beds; up from 19,400 in 1997. Residential care facilities
report an average of 70 beds and 54 units per residence. Four of five
residences are located in urban areas, and one-third are part of a continuing
care retirement community. SNF and RCF data that make up this report are, in part, the result of last year’s bi-annual RCF and SNF surveys done by Scripps, with 96% of skilled nursing facilities and 93% of residential care facilities completing the on-line survey. Complete information as well as a summary of the report is available at the Scripps website. |
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