Elders' out-of-pocket payment for community-based long-term care.

This research describes characteristics of community living elders aged 71 and older with long-term care (LTC) needs who pay out-of-pocket for community-based LTC. Community living elders with higher incomes, more friends and non-child relatives outside the home, and greater ADL or IADL needs are more likely to purchase LTC than those without these characteristics. Also the lack of sufficient numbers of children outside the home to provide assistance tended to result in the use of out-of-pocket paid services. Paying for LTC is not associated with the extent of disability experienced. This study clarifies the characteristics of those in need who currently pay out-of-pocket for community LTC as a basis for examining the inadequacies of current LTC financing.