Relationship between perceived needs and assessed needs for Services in Community-Dwelling Older Persons
Abstract
PURPOSE: We examine the relationship between the perceived needs and assessed needs of community-dwelling seniors. DESIGN AND METHODS: Trained research assistants administered the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Baseline Survey to 268 community-dwelling older adults in suburban Maryland. Perceived and assessed needs were measured in the domains of health and function (memory, health, functional needs, mobility, and financial management), mental health (depression and loneliness), sensory functioning (vision), and health behaviors (nutrition and exercise). RESULTS: In the areas of functional needs, mobility, financial management, loneliness, and vision, persons who scored as more needy were already utilizing significantly more services. Of persons not receiving services, participants in need of memory, physical health, functional, loneliness, and nutrition services were more likely to indicate they would use those services. Although there were significant relationships between assessed needs and perceived needs, there was also a high level of discrepancy, such that a substantial proportion of those participants screened as not needing services requested those services, and a sizable proportion of those who screened as needing services did not request them. The results also show a high prevalence of needs among older adults and yet low service use by those with needs for these services. IMPLICATIONS: Both assessed and perceived needs should be examined in future need assessment surveys. Further investigations into the nature of discrepancies will likely result in improvement in the methodologies of screening assessed and perceived needs. Services targeted to older adults must be made more available to those dwelling in the community.
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Social participation through community-based activities has the potential to increase social engagement and enhance mental health among older adults.
“Social participation through community-based activities has the potential to increase social engagement and enhance mental health among older adults [e.g., (27, 29–31)].”
From Telephone-based group mental health support for older adults in central Canada: pilot acceptability and effectiveness findings of The CONNECT Program (2025) · cites this paper as [27]
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- Authors
- Cohen-Mansfield, J., & Frank, J.
- Venue
- The Gerontologist
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2008-08
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 505-516
- ISSN
- 0016-9013 (ISSN-L)
- 1758-5341
- OpenAlex
- W2158911428
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 3.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Gerontologist (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Aging, Elder Care, and Social Issues
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
- Keywords
- perceived need, community-dwelling older adults, needs assessment, service utilization, naturally occurring retirement communities, functional needs, mobility (physical function), financial management, loneliness, depression, vision, nutrition, physical activity, memory, health behavior
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Female, Health Resources, Health Services Needs and Demand, Health Status, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Maryland, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Residence Characteristics, Health Behavior
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