Stigma may keep older adults from getting in-home aids

Stigma may keep older adults from getting in-home aids

A study of community-dwelling adults age 65 and old found 37% had disability warranting a home modification and 42% had unmet needs for bathing and toileting equipment, researchers reported in JAMA Internal Medicine. Dr. Charles Dinerstein, medical director at the American Council on Science and Health, wrote that social stigma or shame can prevent older adults from seeking help for these needs even though it can make living at home safer, and such devices are not covered by Medicare, unlike a walker.

Full Story: American Council on Science and Health (3/23)