Dental considerations for the frail elderly.

million); Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and New Jersey each had well over 1 million. The 65 or older population was slightly less likely to live in metropolitan areas in 1999 than younger persons. About 50 percent of older persons lived in the suburbs, 27 percent live in central cities, and 23 percent lived in nonmetropolitan areas.2 Living arrangements of America’s older adults are closely linked to income, health status, and the availability of caregivers. Older persons who live alone are more likely to be in poverty and experience health problems, compared with older persons who live with a spouse or a relative. In 1997, 1.6 million elderly lived in nursing homes, less than 5 percent of the elderly.3 The percentage of the population who live in nursing homes also increased dramatically with age, ranging from 1 percent for persons 65-74 years, to 5 percent for persons 75-84, to 19 percent for persons 85+.4 About 558,400 older adults live in assisted-living facilities. The use of assisted-living facilities, board and care homes, continuingcare retirement communities, and other types of facilities in addition to long-term care in a nursing home has grown over the last 15 years. Current surveys rarely distinguish between these different types of institutional settings and the characteristics of older persons within these settings, but the fact that they are increasing in numbers does indicate the growing need for health care services for frail elderly citizens.2