Social activity decreases risk of placement in a long-term care facility for a prospective sample of community-dwelling older adults.

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of modifiable factors in the risk of long-term care (LTC) placement. Using data from a cohort of community-residing older adults (N = 189), a secondary analysis was conducted of the contribution of social activity, sleep disturbances, and depressive symptoms to the risk of LTC placement. Analyses controlled for cognitive and functional impairment, age, and medical conditions. Within 5 years, 20% of participants were placed in a LTC facility. Each unit increase in social activity was associated with a 24% decrease in the risk of placement (odds ratio [OR] = 0.763, p = 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.65, 0.89]). Cognitive impairment (OR = 3.05, p = 0.017, 95% CI [1.23, 7.59]), medical conditions (OR = 1.22, p = 0.039, 95% CI [1.01, 1.47]), and age (OR = 1.101, p = 0.030, 95% CI [1.01, 1.20]) were also significant individual predictors of placement. Although many of the strongest risk factors for placement are not modifiable, older adults who engage in more social activity outside the home may be able to delay transition from independent living. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.