PERIOD EFFECTS ON THE MIX OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL IN-HOME CARE USED BYURBAN ELDERLY

Changes in the mix of formal and informal home care used by noninstitu tionalized elderly between 1975 and 1987 are examined. This period saw many changes in health care policies, an increase in female labor for ce participation, and changes in demographic characteristics of elders , all of which could be expected to influence the pattern of care used by elders. Using data from the 1975 General Accounting Office study i n Cleveland, Ohio, and its 1987 follow-up, cohorts of young-olds (ages 65-76 years) and old-olds (ages 77-88 years) were compared for their use of formal and informal care. There were no increases in the propor tion of people using home care, and there was no observable trend towa rd increased reliance on formal care. Differences did emerge in the mi x of formal and informal services used. For the young-old cohort, more persons received formal nursing services and informal supervision ser vices in 1987. The min of services used by the old-old cohort revealed no observable period effects. Implications of these findings are disc ussed in relation to the social changes mentioned earlier.