In-Home Supportive Services for the Elderly and Disabled: A Comparison of Client-Directed and Professional Management Models of Services Delivery--Non-Technical Summary Report

Elderly and younger persons with disabilities who require help from others to perform many of the most ordinary activities of daily living are said to require "long-term care." These services, when provided in the home or other non-institutional settings, may be termed personal assistance services, home and community-based services, or in-home supportive services. This report presents the findings of a study comparing alternative approaches to delivering such services. The purpose of the study was to determine whether there are significant differences, on a wide range of outcome indicators, when publicly-funded supportive services for the elderly and disabled are provided through a consumer-directed as compared to a professional management model of service financing and delivery. [61 PDF pages]