Minorities in Nursing Homes On the Rise

According to a new study published in the July issue of Health Affairs, the number of elderly Hispanics and Asians living in nursing homes climbed 54.9 percent and 54.1 percent, respectively, between 1999 and 2008. During that same period of time, the number of black residents climbed 10.8 percent, but the number of white residents fell 10.2 percent.

According to the study's authors, the number of minority residents in nursing homes increased even faster than the minority population overall, even in areas that have high concentrations of minority populations. The authors surmised that this might indicate unequal access to home- and community-based alternatives, which are usually preferred to nursing homes for long-term care.

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