Trajectories of Community-Based Service Use: The Importance of Poverty and Living Arrangements

ABSTRACT

This study examined how older adults’ living arrangements and poverty status affected their use of in-home health, functional, and out-of-home services over time. Using eight waves of data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study, we employed a logistic mixed-effect model to analyze how poverty and living arrangements affect community-based service use. Living-alone older adults and elder-only couples were more likely than co-residing households to use services. Elder-only couples, when poor, were more likely to use in-home and out-of-home services over time. Understanding predictors of community-based service use over time enables researchers and policymakers to better understand the process of aging-in-place.

KEYWORDS:

• Community-based service
• poverty
• living arrangement