Report Shows Situation of Disabled Tue Apr 29, 5:41 AM ET Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!
WASHINGTON - Disabled Americans age 50 and over want independence in and control over their daily lives but often can't afford to pay for it, an AARP study says.
The national survey being released Tuesday said 51 percent of people 50 and over with disabilities are managing independently. Forty-nine percent receive regular help with a daily activity, such as cooking, bathing or shopping. More than half those with disabilities in this age group - 53 percent - also reported being unable to do something they needed or wanted to do in the past month.
John Rother, policy director at AARP, the country's largest organization for people 50 and over, said services are available such as adult daycare, home health care and Meals-on-Wheels. They are not universally available, however, and whether people get such services depends on where they live.
"Many of the needs people expressed were very modest," Rother said. "Contrary to the idea that this is an expensive population to serve with round-the-clock needs, many just want to get outdoors, go to a concert, go shopping, things that volunteers could help out with."
Of those who received help, most said volunteers, including family members or friends, helped them. Most people - 61 percent - strongly preferred this type of help, and only one of out three uses community-based services.
Almost 25 percent of the study group needed more help with daily activities than they receive now.
Some needs could be met by the provision of modest equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs and by new technologies, AARP said.
"People are increasingly asking for more services at home and community-based services so they can live independently," said Mary Jo Gibson, lead author of the study.
"There's a gap between what people say they need and what's available, and part of that is not having enough consumer direction and services."
Among AARP's recommendations: more consumer direction and services in programs such as Medicaid; more home modifications such as grab rails, better lighting and ramps; public financing for long-term supportive services needs to be reoriented toward more options for home and community-based care; and communities need to be made more physically accessible for the disabled.
Inadequate health insurance coverage is also a major problem experienced by people 50 and older with disabilities. This is even true for those with Medicare coverage, which does not pay for prescription drugs, the report said. One out of three reports specific needs, such as for equipment, not covered by health insurance.
The report also found:
_People at least 50 with disabilities want more direct control over what long-term support services they receive and when they receive them.
_Disability rates have declined sharply for less severe levels of disability.
_Many people with disabilities need long-term support services and equipment in their homes and communities.
_On average, disabled people 50 and older give their communities a grade of B minus to C plus as a place to live for people in their condition.
_Inadequate health insurance is at the top of the list of problems.
_Thirty-three percent of the disabled aged 50 and up had postponed needed health because it cost too much
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose members are at least 50 years old.
The report is based on commissioned research, including a telephone survey of 1,102 disabled people aged 50 and older, with an error margin of 3 percentage points. ___
On the Net: AARP: http:www.aarp.org
-- Marta Russell Los Angeles, CA http://www.disweb.org