The evaluation of the National Long Term Care Demonstration. 6. The effect of channeling on informal caregiving.

Publicly funded programs that increase the use of formal community-based care by the elderly could cause less reliance on informal care. The effect of channeling on informal caregiving was examined using data collected from frail elderly and from their primary caregivers. The findings suggest some withdrawal from caregiving on the part of neighbors and friends during the demonstration. Overall, however, these reductions were not large relative to the increased use of formal community-based services.