Factors relating to institutional risk among elderly members of Israeli kibbutzim.

Characteristics of 269 functionally impaired elderly persons and their primary caregivers were examined in relation to long-term care planning. Contrary to expectation, there were no differences in rates of institutional risk between those elderly residents of Israeli kibbutzim cared for primarily by formal caregivers and cared for by informal caregivers. Lack of informal caregivers emerged as an important risk factor for institutional risk, even in the service-rich environment of kibbutzim.