Perceptions of Difference Between Aging and Disability Service Systems Consumers: Implications for Policy Initiatives to Rebalance Long-Term Care

Abstract

This study explores service professionals' perceptions of how and why older adults and younger persons with disabilities are different consumers and clients within the long-term care service sector. Data are from 2004, early in the history of federal long-term care rebalancing initiatives, reflecting perceptions at that time. Findings suggest professionals working within aging, developmental disability, and physical disability service networks believe significant distinctions exist related to age of clients and nature of service required and how it is delivered. Overall need for greater professional and organizational capacity to support provision of service to both aging and disability populations is reported.

Keywords:

• aging with disability
• long-term care
• public policy

Notes

¹This article uses the term consumer/client when referring to individual service users. In this article, this term does not include family care providers as the focus of the discussion is professional perceptions of older adults and younger/middle-aged adults with disabilities. Instead, family caregivers or care providers are directly referenced when the discussion relates to them. Use of joint terminology reflects disparate views of how HCBS populations are commonly referenced. Client is the term typically used within the aging services network. Consumer is the preferred term among most people with disabilities.

²The terms many, few, often, and other quantifications of frequency of code/theme occurrence are used in this article in lieu of providing actual counts. This is in alignment with study methods that emphasize gathering breadth of data (understandings) to describe the issue, rather than assessing rank or frequency of identification of issue components. This approach aligns well with the nonrandomized, key-informant sampling model.

Olmstead v. LC, 527 U.S. 581, (1999).