Latinos Pouring Into Nursing Homes As Quality Diminishes

A new study from Brown University points out a sad reality for Latino viejitos: as Latinos and other minority seniors enter into nursing homes, it’s only because whites are fleeing because they have better access. It’s like white flight, but in nursing homes. Here’s a snippet from a press release from Brown:

The new analysis shows that between 1999 and 2008 the nation’s nursing home population shrank by 6.1 percent to just over 1.2 million people. In that time period the number of whites in nursing homes decreased by 10.2 percent nationwide, while the number of blacks rose 10.8 percent, the number of Hispanics rose by 54.9 percent and the number of Asians rose by 54.1 percent. The study also looked at nursing home population changes in the top 10 metropolitan areas for each minority.

Prior research has shown that the nursing homes in predominately minority areas are often of lower quality and are more likely to close, while assisted living facilities are more likely to be built in areas where residents have high incomes. The result, reflected in the figures in the new Health Affairs paper, is a disparity that plays out not only economically and geographically, but also racially, Feng said.

In other words, yes Latino viejitos are pouring into nursing homes, but it’s only because they can’t afford better care. All this going on with the health care debate and the fact that nursing homes are more likely to shutter in Latino neighborhoods, giving families even less options for their beloved viejitos.

What do you think, are you in this situation yourself?

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD