Christine Caffrey

There is still time to be a part of a major study of long-term care.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is still in the field with the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). NSLTCP, which began data collection in September 2012, is a national study that will produce reliable national and state estimates on the supply, use and characteristics of assisted living/residential care communities, adult day services centers, nursing homes, home health agencies, and hospice agencies. Directors of assisted living/residential care communities and adult day services centers are being asked to provide information through a questionnaire.

CDC appreciates the many respondents who have already submitted their questionnaires —  57% of all adult day services centers and 51% of sampled assisted living/residential care communities. We hope to increase these figures to 65% for both provider types, and you can play a part in making that happen. For those who have not completed and submitted a questionnaire, data collection has been extended to February 20, 2013. CDC is still accepting completed hard copy and web questionnaires, but most questionnaire completions are being conducted by phone.

All individual data will be kept confidential and the data will be aggregated, so that the names of the adult day services centers and assisted living/residential care communities, the respondents, their staff, and the individuals who use their services are not identifiable.

By providing this information, you will help the CDC describe and understand the changes that occur in the delivery of long-term care services.  NCHS will produce an overview report on the supply and use of long-term care providers in the U.S. The overview report will provide national and state descriptions of long-term care services delivery. We intend the overview report to serve as an information resource for use by federal and state policy makers, providers, researchers and others to inform planning and decision making about long-term supports and services. The overview report is scheduled to be available in late 2013.

To learn more about NSLTCP and see the NSLTCP questionnaires, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsltcp.htm. On behalf of CDC, NCHS thanks you for your help. We strive to provide statistical information that will guide actions and policies to improve the health of the American people.

Christine Caffrey, Ph.D., is a social scientist at the National Center for Health Statistics, a part of the CDC.