National Survey of Institutionalized Persons, 1976

This data collection was designed to obtain information about the services and resources of the various types of long-term care facilities in the United States, i.e., chronic care institutions (providing care for people with chronic conditions, diseases, and handicaps), institutions that provide care for the mentally ill and mentally handicapped, nursing homes, homes for the aged, and residential schools and treatments centers. Six major areas of concern were examined in this study: (1) the appropriateness of placement/admission and discharge, plus possible alternatives, (2) the quality of life within the institutional environment, (3) the residents' rights and legal status, (4) the medical and non-medical services provided and needed, (5) the sources of financing such care, and (6) the impact of government programs and policies upon the costs and provision of certain types of service. This information was collected from 9,090 residents of 851 institutions and from 3,289 of their family members. Administrative staff at each resident's facility also provided information about that facility as well as the sampled resident. Data about the resident's institution include its basic characteristics, e.g., type of care provided, ownership, number of beds, occupancy rate, and services and programs offered. Resident data include basic social and demographic characteristics, reason for institutionalization, cost of care, current activities, type of treatment, and the physical limitations of the institutional population. Family data examine the next of kin's relationship to the resident, e.g., relative's proximity to the institution, frequency of visits, and monetary contributions to the resident, as well as the next of kin's demographic characteristics and views of the resident and his or her institutionalization.