An Introduction to the National Long-Term Care Survey

This paper updates an earlier summary of the National Long-Term Care Surveys (NLTCS) entitled "The National Long-Term Care Surveys (1982, 1984, 1989)" (1992). The NLTCS--conducted in 1982, 1984, 1989, and 1994--are nationally representative surveys of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 or over with chronic functional disabilities (sometimes referred to as the "frail elderly"). These surveys are the major source of nationally representative information on changes in the health and functioning of the elderly population. The survey will be administered again in 1999. The NLTCS is a unique resource for examining demographic, health and functional status changes in the disabled elderly living in the community and in nursing homes along with the trajectory of service use and costs over time. [15 PDF pages]