Seniors in New England are using home health care services at a higher rate than seniors in other U.S. states, while seniors in non-continental U.S. states are using home health at the lowest rates, according to data published last Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The data was published as a supplement to the “Long-Term Care Providers and Services Users in the United States: Data From the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers, 2013–2014” report, which was released in February 2016.
Massachusetts has the highest rate of seniors 65 years old and older utilizing home health care, with 133.85 out of 1,000 seniors whose episode of home health care ended anytime in 2013. Rhode Island posted the next highest home health care utilization rate, with 125.91 out of 1,000 seniors 65 and older receiving home health care services.
The states with the lowest rates of seniors 65 years old and older utilizing home health care services are Hawaii and Alaska, with rates of 27.02 and 28.72 out of 1,000 seniors whose episode of home health care ended anytime in 2013, respectively.
South Dakota, meanwhile, has the lowest rate in the continental U.S., with a rate of 33.35 out of 1,000 seniors 65 and older using home health care.
These numbers are based on 2014 data from the CDC’s National Study of Long-Term Care Providers.
Massachusetts also has the highest rate of seniors 85 years old and older who are using home health care services. The state posted a rate of 301.32 out of 1,000 seniors 85 and older whose episode of home health care ended anytime in 2013, the CDC data show.
Hawaii, meanwhile, also has the lowest rate of seniors 85 and older using home health care services; the state posted a rate of 69.85 out of 1,000 seniors 85 and older whose episode of home health care ended anytime in 2013.
Nationally, about 212.22 seniors 85 and older out of every 1,000 use home health services, the CDC data show.
Written by Mary Kate Nelson